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| “Healing the Centurion’s Servant” by Alexandre Bida, c. 1875 |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Isaiah 4:2-6
Commentary on Is 4:2-6
The Prophet envisions a time when the Lord will give his divine blessing to the faithful who patiently await the moment of God’s great glory. “The ‘branch of the Lord’ (v. 2) is a title belonging to the king in the line of David (cf. Isaiah 11:1). It is not only the ‘remnant’ of Israel that will survive and see the glory of the purified Jerusalem, but also the Messiah, David's son.”[4] This section of Isaiah’s oracle is seen as anticipating the fulfillment of the messianic promise in Jesus Christ.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4b, 4cd-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Commentary on Ps 122:1-2, 3-4b, 4cd-5, 6-7, 8-9
Psalm 122 is a song of praise that anticipates the great procession into God’s house. While the Hebrews would have used this as a literal processional song, we see it as anticipating our entry into the New Jerusalem, the Kingdom of God. It supports Isaiah’s vision of the messianic kingdom (Isaiah 2:1-5); it also points to Jerusalem as the center and source of the Law and the Davidic dynasty to rule of the unified kingdom with the Lord our God providing the source of peace.
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Gospel: Matthew 8:5-11
Commentary on Mt 8:5-11
This story of the Centurion is shortened by a couple of verses to focus our attention on the authority of Jesus, and the role faith can play in accessing that authority. The Centurion’s description of his own understanding of authority translates to his faith that Jesus can command all things without needing to be physically present to that which he commands. In the longer version, Jesus also condemns the Jewish people for their lack of faith and heals the Centurion’s servant as requested.
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Reflection:
Our Advent readings start with a vision of what will come as a result of the impending birth of Jesus. Much as parents of a new baby have a vision of what that child will become, Isaiah predicts that Christ, the Messiah, will come to unify God’s children and bring peace. The Psalmist envisions that same kingdom, flowing from the dynasty of King David’s throne. And the Gospel shows us that Jesus, Christ the King and Prince of Peace, will command that kingdom. However, he does not tell us how long that will take. God’s time has always been difficult for us.
As we begin our spiritual preparation in Advent, we will use the analogy of our preparation for the arrival of a child being born into our homes. We picture our lives in the presence of such a wonder of compassion. As we do so, let us make room in our hearts, creating a warm and inviting place.
We suggest that a first step would be reconciliation, cleaning out the old bad things that might crowd the space. It is somewhat ironic that the Sacrament of Reconciliation is one of the two Sacraments of Healing. When asked, most Catholics might say that only Anointing of the Sick was a healing device. Yet, here is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church has to say:
1422 "Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God's mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labors for their conversion."
Once we have fixed the damage, we must put on a new coat of paint. That paint is our prayer life. That room needs many coats to cover the natural tendencies of our human intuition that tries to bleed through.
If we are currently not spending much time in prayer, now is a great time to start. If we are spending some time in prayer each day, let’s see if we can’t add some time or some intentions to our list. Nothing warms the space in our heart like prayer. Prayer, constant, praising, and loving, for ourselves, our families and the world will create a warm space.
Pax
[1] The picture used today is “Healing the Centurion’s Servant” by Alexandre Bida, c. 1875
[4] The Navarre Bible: “Major Prophets”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, pp.60
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