I recall as a young student that one could find the “answers” at the end of the textbook to many of the subjects that would include quizzes and exams. Math was always one that included these helpful answers. However, as students would usually come to find out in math or any other subject for that matter, is that the answer was not good enough. Rather, the teacher would often add to the instructions of the lesson or before an exam: “Please show your work!” Ugh! I could not just fill in the answer in the blank on the page.
Christianity is much the same way: we cannot just search the “Cliff Notes” of our Sacred Scriptures. We must read and know the Book. We must show the work with our lives. We are not perfect creatures, but we can do the work, especially with the teachers we have had along the journey. We will make mistakes and may have to have a “do over;” but, in the long run we will be rewarded with knowing how we solved the problem no matter how many erasures we make.
May our Advent season allow us the opportunity to come to read the Book in a different light and help us respond by showing the work with an attitude of gratitude.
Happy Advent!
The journey continues…wide awake…keeping watch and solving the problem.
Blessings,
Fr. Mark
