Advent - Christmas Resource
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Individual and group reflection resources
Includes Sunday and holiday readings
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I have so much to do that I must spend several hours in prayer before I am able to do it.
- John Wesley
I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours of the day in prayer.
- Martin Luther
("Too busy" is the most common excuse given in spiritual direction for skipping out on times for prayer. But what does this busy-ness do to us if we are out of touch with God?)
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RV 1:1-4; 2:1-5; PS 1:1-2, 3, 4 AND 6
LK 18:35-43
As Jesus approached Jericho
a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging,
and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening.
They told him,
"Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."
He shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!"
The people walking in front rebuked him,
telling him to be silent,
but he kept calling out all the more,
"Son of David, have pity on me!"
Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him;
and when he came near, Jesus asked him,
"What do you want me to do for you?"
He replied, "Lord, please let me see."
Jesus told him, "Have sight; your faith has saved you."
He immediately received his sight
and followed him, giving glory to God.
When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture |
"Will He delay long over them, do you suppose? I tell you, He will give them swift justice." —Luke 18:7-8
God's timing is different than ours. "This point must not be overlooked, dear friends. In the Lord's eyes, one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years are as a day" (2 Pt 3:8). This means that God is both very slow and very fast by our standards. We often emphasize God's supposed slowness. Yet we should also focus on His speed. God sometimes works "in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye" (1 Cor 15:52). God promises to give us "swift justice" (Lk 18:8).
However, the Lord will not force His justice or His swiftness on us. We must pray always and not lose heart (Lk 18:1; 1 Thes 5:17). Otherwise, we may cause the Lord to delay (Lk 18:7) in stopping the gross injustices of abortion, racism, "ethnic cleansings," starvation, and other catastrophic evils.
To pray always and receive God's swift justice, we must have faith. "Faith is confident assurance concerning what we hope for, and conviction about things we do not see" (Heb 11:1). Faith is a gift which the Lord freely gives. Once again, we must pray to receive faith (Lk 17:5), exercise the faith we have, and nourish our faith through hearing God's Word, for faith comes through hearing, and hearing by God's Word (Rm 10:17).
Grow in faith; pray always; receive swift justice in a severely unjust world. "Then the God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet" (Rm 16:20). Come Jesus — swiftly! (Rv 22:20)
Prayer: Father, I will work to hasten Your Son's final coming (2 Pt 3:12) by my holiness and obedience.
Promise: "Will not God then do justice to His chosen who call out to Him day and night?" —Lk 18:7
Presentation Ministries
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Abandonment to Divine Providence
- by Jean-Pierre de Caussade
CHAPTER II. THE DIVINE ACTION WORKS UNCEASINGLY FOR THE SANCTIFICATION OF SOULS.
SECTION I.The Divine Action.
The divine action, although only visible to the eye of faith, is everywhere, and always present.
Then ask Mary and Joseph, the Magi and the Shepherds. They will tell you that they found in this extreme poverty an indescribable tenderness, and an infinite dignity worthy of the majesty of God. Faith is strengthened, increased and enriched by those things that escape the senses; the less there is to see, the more there is to believe. To adore Jesus on Tabor, to accept the will of God in extraordinary circumstances does not
indicate a life animated by such great faith as to love the will of God in ordinary things and to adore Jesus on the Cross; for faith cannot be said to be real, living faith until it is tried, and has triumphed over every effort for its destruction. War with the senses enables faith to obtain a more glorious victory. To consider God equally good in things that are petty and ordinary as in those that are great and uncommon is to have a faith that is not ordinary, but great and
extraordinary.
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