[Salvation]

Listen and Understand

 

by Food For Thought on December 13, 2012 · 

 

To have all the five senses is truly a blessing. We interact with the world around us through what we see, what we hear, what we touch, what we smell, what we taste. Without any one of these human sensors, we’d be missing out on what’s out there. However, people with disabilities and those who possess a physical deficiency still manage to function in society. That is pretty admirable. But, to those who are unable to listen to Mozart because of their disability, they may be curious to know how it sounds. The visual representations of the music as interpreted on a computer screen may help in some way towards appreciating music. Similarly, anyone who have never seen a sunset on a beach, would probably take the trouble to experience that daily miraculous light show for themselves, even just to feel the heat of day subtly turn into the cold of night.

Jesus is pleading with us to listen and understand. Today’s readings may be complex, but he doesn’t radically divert from what was prophesied by Elijah and John the Baptist. He reinforces what they’ve preached.

Having hearing and comprehension is a grace. But, if we choose to remain spiritually deaf and dumb to the Good News, we would be missing out on God’s simple, yet profound, message of hope and love for us all.

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

 

<< Thursday, December 13, 2012 >>

St. Lucy

Isaiah 41:13-20
View Readings

Psalm 145:1, 9-13

Matthew 11:11-15

CHRISTMAS TREES

"I will plant in the desert the cedar, acacia, myrtle, and olive; I will set in the wasteland the cypress, together with the plane tree and the pine." —Isaiah 41:19

 

The prophet Isaiah mentions Christmas trees: the cedar and pine trees. These trees will miraculously grow in the desert and wasteland. These Christmas trees are trees of life arising in the midst of death, under impossible circumstances.

Besides the Isaiah tree, there is the Genesis Christmas tree. Traditionally, Christmas trees remind us of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden (Gn 2:17). Also, the trees were decorated with apples to remind us of the first sin. This tree was a tree of death which cuts us off from the tree of life (Gn 3:22). Finally, Acts of the Apostles refers to the tree of Calvary (Acts 13:29). The Acts tree is Jesus' cross. This tree, as the tree of Christ's death, is the tree of eternal life.

What does your Christmas tree and your life stand for? Life or death? Salvation or sin? Victory or defeat? Calvary or Eden? Two weeks from today is Christmas Eve. "Prepare the way of the Lord" (Is 40:3).

 

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for the tree of Calvary, the tree of life, the Christmas tree. I give my life to You.

Promise: Jesus said, "I solemnly assure you, history has not known a man born of woman greater than John the Baptizer. Yet the least born into the kingdom of God is greater than he." —Mt 11:11

Praise: St. Lucy's mother opposed her vow of virginity in service of Jesus. Jesus healed her mother's physical condition and opened her heart to her daughter's vocation.