Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent
Year C
Reading 1: Isaiah 45: 6-8, 18; 21-25
Responsorial Psalm: PS 85: 9-14;
“Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Saviour.”
Gospel: Luke 7: 18-23
Luke 7:22 – “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard”
In the first century at the time of Jesus, to have witnessed his miracles would have been a life-changing event. Imagine seeing this man curing the sick instantly, enabling the lame to walk, the blind to see – instantly. Incredulously, these amazing physical miracles were often met with disdain rather than amazement by the Pharisees and other people who were set on destroying the influence of Jesus.
I am always astounded at the reaction of the Pharisees and others. How could you not be simply changed as a person upon witnessing a life-long crippled person, get up and walk away having been cured by Jesus! Instead, they accuse him of curing on the Sabbath! It’s almost humorous. “If you are going to perform incredible feats of impossibility, then please don’t do it on the Sabbath!”.
Little do many of us know, but these miracles of Jesus are continuing to this day, but like the Pharisees, we are blind to their reality. People are cured of life-threatening diseases every day. Unexplained miracles are delivered every day. Let us embrace the reality of Christ’s presence in our lives through the actions of the Holy Spirit and live in God’s grace as is intended.
Pray for justice and peace for the world today.
With thanks to Holy Name of Mary Parish, Hunters Hill, who have supplied these daily Advent and Christmas 2021 reflections from their publication Daily Inspirations of Faith: A Season of Prayer – Advent to Epiphany 2021-22.
