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Greetings, SBT Readers!
When is a prophecy just a dream?
Reflecting on Is 11:1-10, I'm aware that for this prophecy to find fulfilment in our time, then change is necessary. Of course, we believe that the Anointed One -- the "Just Shoot"-- has already come, but for the "land's afflicted" to find justice, there has to be a shift in the world's order:
If the wolf is to be a guest of the lamb, then the wolf must cuddle with the lamb.
If cow and bear are to be neighbors, then the bear must blunt its claws.
If the leopard is to lie down with the kid, then the leopard must surrender its strength.
If calf and young lion are to frolic together, then the lion must clamp shut its jaws.
If the baby is to play near the cobra's den, then the cobra must abandon its sting.
And what must we do if the Earth is to be filled with knowledge of the Lord and if there is no longer to be harm on God's Holy Mountain?
Advent Blessings!
Elizabeth
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
Link to the Sunday Readings
"Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit
will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
I baptize you with water, for repentance,
but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I.
I am not worthy to carry his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fork is in his hand.
He will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
Mt 3:1-12
The wise and the foolish
The righteous and sinners
The good and the evil
The humble and the proud
The compassionate and the hard of heart
The generous and the miserly
The grateful and those who are ungrateful
Those on the right and those on the left
Those who believe and those who don't believe
Those who love and those who hate
Those who forgive and those who won't forgive
Those who repent and those who are obdurate
Those who are awake and those who are asleep
Those who seek the Truth and those who deceive
Those who are prepared and those who are unprepared
Those who bear good fruit and those who bear nothing
The saved and the damned
The sheep and the goats
The wheat and the chaff...
My litany of Biblical Opposites is by no means complete but it provides a starting point for approaching John the Baptist's prophecy regarding the coming of the Holy One. Denouncing the religious elite for their hypocrisy, he tells them to "produce good fruit" if they wish to escape the coming judgment. "Don't assume you will be saved because Abraham is your father!" he rages. "Don't imagine that you won't be accountable for who you are-- for your words, actions and attitudes!"
As each of the gospels plays out, we see that most of the religious elite are indeed "chaff," that is, those who reject Jesus' core message of love, mercy and forgiveness. We tend to observe the cast of characters, despising Jesus' opponents while sympathizing with his followers. But what if we ceased to be observers and instead stepped into the narrative? Would we be one of the religious elite, relying on our identity as "people of faith," perhaps feeling entitled to God's grace because we have kept the rules or served the church in some official capacity? Or would we see ourselves as God sees us -- as flawed human beings in need of spiritual overhaul? Standing before Jesus, how would we account for ourselves? Would we be like the Pharisee who goes to the Temple to pray but, in reality, praises himself while despising the humble tax collector (Lk 18: 9-14)? Or would we possibly be like the tax collector, aware of our faults and failings, but ready to trust in God's mercy?
Advent is a time for self-reflection and taking inventory; it is a season for "getting ready" for the next phase of our spiritual journey, whether in this life or the next. It is a season that demands unflinching honesty and time for rigorous introspection. Are we willing to embrace necessary change? Do we possess the holy flexibility that will allow us to shift perspectives and modify our behaviors? Do we dare become a new creation or are we too in love with our old, habitual selves, with the personas we have fashioned to impress others, and, perhaps, even our Creator??
QUESTIONS
FOR REFLECTION
* What have you learned about yourself this Advent and how are you going to respond to this new insight?
* As you examine the list of Biblical Opposites, which characteristics resonate with you the most, whether positively or negatively?
* In a world that is becoming increasingly secular, violent and depraved, is Isaiah 11:1-10 a mere dream?
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Pray
that sanity will prevail and that all those suffering on account of the terrible conflict in Ukraine will find the comfort and resources they need.
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