Monday: 3rd Week of Advent

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At the beginning of Advent, Isaiah announced that all nations were called to God’s holy mountain. As this 3rd week of Advent begins, Balaam, a foreigner, “whose eye is true..and who hears what God says” recognizes Israel’s divine mission and indistinctly recognizes a Savior to come. “ I see him, though not now. I behold him, though not near.” Balaam recognizes the presence of God in the tribes of Israel and refuses a handsome payout to curse them; he blesses them instead. Even his donkey gets it right. (Numbers 24:2-17)

Paid to curse the Israelite tribes invading their land of Cana, Balaam is prevented from carrying out the work by his donkey who sees an angel ahead and refuses to go further. He even speaks to Balaam. Is that why a donkey appears in the stable at Bethlehem?

Balaam represents the world beyond Israel hoping for a kingdom. Still, God’s promises can be difficult for all of us to fully grasp, our Advent readings point. The Jewish leaders of his day, questioning Jesus about his authority and his mission, don’t see it.  John, his disciples and the disciples of Jesus have their questions. All of them have a  limited human vision of the plan of God. Our vision is like theirs.

I am the LORD, there is no other; I form the light, and create the darkness,
I make well-being and create woe; I, the LORD, do all these things.
Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above, like gentle rain let the skies drop it down.Let the earth open and salvation bud forth; let justice also spring up!
I, the LORD, have created this. For thus says the LORD, the creator of the heavens,
who is God, the designer and maker of the earth who established it, not creating it to be a waste, but designing it be lived in: I am the LORD, and there is no other. 

We’re slow to grasp God’s power and see a plan for the world evolving in slow gentle rain and emerging buds of spring. In winter times like ours, we’re also slow to believe “God did not create the world to be a waste.”

Wednesday we listen to the genealogy of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew.  We draw nearer to the mystery of the Word made flesh.

2 thoughts on “Monday: 3rd Week of Advent”

  1. cenaclemary12's avatarcenaclemary12

    “How slow we are to grasp God’s power and see a plan for the world evolving in slow gentle rain and emerging buds of spring. In winter times like ours, we’re also slow to believe “God did not create the world to be a waste.”
    How true!
    God does not make junk!

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  2. cenaclemary12's avatarcenaclemary12

    My morning light breaks in when I lift the shade on my bedroom window.As I let in morning, I pray, “Lord, be a light unto my path and a lamp for my feet.”

    Longing for light is a stark reality,In the darkness of our world.Much violence invades the innocent,Without care for cause.Only Calvary love prevails,Promising new ways of humanity.

    Psalm 119: Your word is a lamp for my feet,a light on my path.

    I am the LORD, there is no other; I form the light, and create the darkness,

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