1st Friday in Advent, December 2, 2022
Is 29:17-24; Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14; Mt 9:27-31
During this first week of Advent, we are being reminded about the coming of our Lord, and today, on Friday, we are told that Jesus is the light. Isaiah prophesized with a wonderful poem about the coming of the Messiah. Back and forth he goes, saying the deaf will hear, the blind will see, the put down will be strong and the proud laid to rest. But it is what they will see, hear and be near that matters. It is the Lord our God! The one whom we long to be with and the one whom we will rejoice with forever! The one who is the Holy One of Jacob, the God of Israel! What a way to look at the darker days of winter, to wash away our gloominess in the rays of light, the rays of our Lord coming soon.
The prophet Isaiah had the faith to speak out to the Israelites. To proclaim the coming of the Messiah and tell us that all will be well if we believe. Jesus asks that very question to the blind men seeking healing, “Do you believe that I can do this?” He asks. And the blind men respond simply, “Yes, Lord.” They not only responded simply, but they also responded by acknowledging that Jesus was Lord. The Lord that Isaiah spoke of in his prophesy. All they needed was their faith to believe, and Jesus healed them.
Where are you today? Are you seeking the Messiah who is to come? Are you stepping out in faith like the two blind men and asking to be healed? God’s infinite power and unlimited love are there waiting for us. All we have to do is reach out in faith and say, “Yes, Lord, I believe.” In a few short weeks, we will celebrate the coming of our Savior as a tiny baby. But it takes time to get there, time to ponder our own lives and how we need a savior for us. To free us from our own captivity. Take some time today and go back and read Isaiah’s prophesy again. Reflect on the wonders God has done, and be in awe of the God of Israel. How the Lord truly is, my light and my salvation.
Saint James Catholic Church 