Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus calls his first disciples. What is it about this scene that is so peaceful and right? Somehow it gets at the very heart of Jesus’ life and work, revealing what he is about. He comes into the world as the second person of the Blessed Trinity, a representative from the community that is God—and thus his basic purpose is to draw the world into community around him.Video reflection by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D. (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Advent Reflection.
Jesus says to Simon and Andrew, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” This tells us something about how God acts. He is direct and in-your-face; he does the choosing. “Come after me,” Jesus says. He is not offering a doctrine, a theology, or a set of beliefs. He is offering himself. It’s as if he’s saying, “Walk in my path; walk in imitation of me.”
Finally, Jesus explains, “I will make you fishers of men.” This is one of the best one-liners in Scripture. Notice the first part of the phrase: “I will make you . . .” This is counter to the culture’s prevailing view that we’re self-made, that we invent and define our own reality. Jesus puts this lie to bed. We learn from him that it’s God who acts, and if we give ourselves to his creative power, he will make us into something far better than we ever could.
Reflect: How has our culture’s focus on being self-made or self-sufficient affected your life and your trust in God’s providence? Do you let God act first or do you expect him to “make up” for what you cannot accomplish yourself?
Friends, in our Gospel today a Roman centurion comes to Jesus and says, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully… I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.”Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Advent Reflection.
Any objective observer would say, “Well, this is ridiculous! What this man is asking is impossible.” He is not only asking that his servant might be cured; he is asking that he be cured at a distance, with simply a word. He’s at the limit of what he could possibly know or control or measure. And yet he trusts; he has faith.
Søren Kierkegaard defined faith as “a passion for the impossible.” Is God opposed to reason? Absolutely not; God gave us the gift of reason. Does God want us to be unrealistic? No; he wants us to use all of our powers of imagination and analysis. But faith goes beyond reason; it is a passion for what reason can’t see.
That centurion had a passion for the impossible. And that’s why Jesus says to him, in some of the highest praise you’ll find in the Gospel: “In no one in Israel have I found such faith.”
Reflect: Have you ever, as the centurion, gone beyond reason and relied on faith? Reflect on why or why not.
Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples to be vigilant. Today marks the beginning of Advent, the great liturgical season of vigilance, of waiting and watching.Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M. (U.S. Conf. of Catholic Bishops): Sunday Reflection.
What practically can we do during this season of vigil keeping? What are some practices that might incarnate for us the Advent spirituality?
I strongly recommend the classically Catholic discipline of Eucharistic Adoration. To spend a half hour or an hour in the presence of the Lord is not to accomplish or achieve very much—it is not really "getting" anywhere—but it is a particularly rich form of spiritual waiting.
As you keep vigil before the Blessed Sacrament, bring to Christ some problem or dilemma that you have been fretting over, and then say: "Lord, I’m waiting for you to solve this, to show me the way out, the way forward. I’ve been running, planning, worrying, but now I’m going to let you work." Then, throughout Advent, watch attentively for signs.
Also, when you pray before the Eucharist, allow your desire for the things of God to intensify; allow your heart and soul to expand. Pray, "Lord, make me ready to receive the gifts you want to give," or even, "Lord Jesus, surprise me."
Reflect: In what ways do you plan to be vigilant this Advent season?
"As we calmly start to panic,
All the mayhem makes me manic.
"So don't tell me that there's a downside,
Can't you see it's going worldwide?
And I don't believe in anything,
Baby, I don't believe it, I don't believe it!
Don't tell me, oh, what your rules are,
Usually, that won't get you too far,
And you know you can too can't believe it,
What I believe is I don't believe in anything…
"We are slowly going faster
Headlong into a disaster…"
"I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me, & I in You, that they also may be in us, so that rthe world may believe that You have sent Me."I've never before read one of Pope Saint John Paul II's writings. I'm excited to dive into Ut Unum Sint.
—The Gospel according to John, 17:20-21
"¡Viva Cristo Rey!"
—Blessed Miguel Pro, S.J. (1891-1927, feast: 23 November)
"Arise, soldiers of Christ, throw away the works of darkness & put on the armor of light."
—Saint Cecilia (died circa 176-235, feast: 22 November)
