Reflection on Today's Readings, Friday, 1st Week, Advent, Year B, December 4th, 2010
Texts: Is. 29:27-24; Ps. 27:1.4.13-14; Matt. 9: 27-31
In time of trial we normally think that God is far away and delayed in saving us. Today's first reading reminds us that we shall not wait long before our God grants us salvation. Our Lord is not delayed in saving us. Our Lord is coming, he shall not delay longer; he is coming to make us fruitful. The salvation we await is the kind that makes man bear fruits of good deeds. God is coming to remove the cause of spiritual barrenness. The cause of spiritual and moral barrenness is the ignorance of the word of God. To be fruitful and productive, we need the words of God. Hence, prophet Isaiah says, "In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see." One of the tricks used by the devil is to make us block out the words of God from our hearing. God promises us salvation, but the salvation will come by hearing his words and living by it.
The words of God shall energize us and we shall find a new source of joy. It is said, "The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall exult in the Holy One of Israel." When we hear the words of God, we shall find our joy no longer in temporal things, but in things that endure, which are found in God.
The reading reminds us that the God we await loves justice. He shall show his justice by condemning evil. By condemning evil he is identified with us who come to meet him with righteous deeds. When he is identified with us, we feel appreciated and loved, and we are filled with joy.
God is also coming to remove our shame, for it is said, "Jacob shall no more be ashamed, no shall his face grow pale." The shame, here, is the guilt of sin, and that takes our minds back to the beginning when Adam and Eve sinned (Gen. 3:6-11). Sin comes with guilt, shame. The shame shall be no more because sins shall be forgiven, guilt pardoned, and holiness appreciated. Hence, it is said, "they will sanctify my name; they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel. And those who err in spirit will come to understanding, and those who murmur will accept instruction." God's words give us understanding and provide us with instructions. If we are to be healed spiritually, we need to take the words of God seriously.
Today's gospel reading tells us how Jesus healed a blind man from his blindness. The blind man approached Jesus Christ for healing, and he was given healing. This calls us to always make recourse to Jesus Christ in all our troubles; it also reminds us that Jesus Christ never fail those who make recourse to him. The blindness also depicts ignorance. The gospel, then, tells us that Jesus Christ has come to banish ignorance; he has come to heal us of our ignorance of God. He disperse the darkness of ignorance through his teaching, his words. The reading shows Jesus Christ as the light of the world. Jesus Christ is our light; we make him our light by hearing and keeping his words.
Lord our God, have mercy on us and heal us of our spiritual blindness that we may see your glory and be filled with joy. Amen.
Rev. Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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