I love Sundays, especially in Advent...it marks another step on our journey to understanding the coming of Jesus. This week the message calls us to listen to the prophets as they tell us: "Make way for the Lord!"The morning devotionals were delayed again this morning but not because we were rushing through school...but instead rushing to go to church for religious education. Not only did the boys need to be there on time, but I would be teaching the class! My friend and I swap off weeks to teach the children (there are only 5 who attend regularly so we have a group class) and it was my turn. My friend asked that I teach on the second goal set by our bishop. At the time when she asked, I agreed without thought. A few days ago, I actually looked to see what I was to teach:
"Present an understanding of the human need for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ based on revelation and faith."
I was at a loss...not because I did not know what to say to the class...but how to decide what part to say and how to word it in a way that would help them grow! After all, this was so...well...PERSONAL!!! I thought about it throughout the week and finally last night decided I needed to do something...so I prayed! Ha! What a thought, right? And it came to me as I was writing my blog post...I had it there the entire time! The Jesse Tree devotion.
I would teach the group about the importance of a personal relationship with Jesus by teaching them about the Salvation History found in the devotion. I would not only show them a wonderful Advent devotion (one of my favorite things to do this time of year is share Advent customs, as you know by now), teach about salvation history, and stay on task with the goal set for me. I would just get the group 'caught up' with the ornaments from the first week by telling the stories while they colored their ornaments.
Also, I would explain how we also have a salvation history to tell much like the stories we read in the Old Testament. The Creation story is seen in our own creation at conception...God has His hand in creation still today! We also see how, just as Adam and Eve, we fall to sin at some point in our lives. However, God has promised us salvation through His son, Jesus Christ. All of the steps along the branches of the Jesse Tree all point in the same direction...when God makes a promise, He keeps it...and that has not change today...we can be assured of salvation when we accept Jesus into our lives! It is a personal choice and I pray that we each find that path to salvation....that we listen to that call to "make way for the Lord!"
In Mass, we find the Good News heard in all the readings. First in the Old Testament book of Baruch, the message is one of rejoicing..."Look to the East...rejoice in the splendor...God will lead Israel with mercy and justice" (5:1-9). The theme of rejoicing continued in Psalm 126, " The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy." Paul sends a perfect 'Advent' prayer that can be spoken across the generations in his letter to the Philippians..."that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ..." (1:4-11). This led to the Gospel reading clearly state that John the Baptist came to spread the Good News that the Messiah was coming soon! "John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins...A voice of one crying out in the desert: 'Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths...and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.' (Luke 3:1-6)."
Our deacon took all of these messages and combined them so beautifully. He shared that it is through our witness that God is able to share love. We need to be open to God's actions through us to help others. We, like John the Baptist, can be the 'voice of one crying in the desert' telling others to 'prepare the way of the Lord." In today's world, this prophetic message is needed.
When we returned home, we headed straight out to our apiary to bless our bees. I am so glad we were able to do this! Our beekeeper cat (I am going to write a children's story about him one day!) joined us as we walked from hive to hive praying for the fruitfulness of our bees. It was a special moment in our day that we were all thankful to enjoy.
Later in the evening, we reflected on Gospel message once again. John the Baptist "broke into the complacency to proclaim that the wait was over." The word 'complacency' is such a strange word to the boys, so we look it up to have a better understanding..."self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies." Doesn't that speak volumes of our own state of being? We go through life thinking we have enough...STUFF...and in reality our needs cannot be met without our Savior! Our deficiencies are shown to us and we realize that the only way to overcome them is by allowing Jesus into our lives.
The Jesse Tree ornaments for today continued to show how God was with the Israelites to guide and protect...we added the stories of the victories at Jericho and Gideon to our salvation history. The boys immediately remembered the Veggie Tale versions of these stories. Even though I think the Bible stories are so much better, at least they remember the general idea of what is meant. They will get the real stories eventually.
We ended the day with the reading from Jesus of Nazareth. Tonight we read about Joseph...imagine Joseph's surprise when Mary tells him about the coming of Jesus...he could not believe that Mary would break their betrothal vows...he would need to end their marriage before it began...yet he was a 'just' man. In the book, we are told that this is the connection between the Old Testament covenant and the New Testament covenant. To be called 'just' is equivalent to our modern day word 'believer.' To be just meant you had a commitment to follow the word of God (the Law). Just as we, as believers, look to the living Word of God...Joseph must trust God's will based on what he knows. Joseph had to make a decision...this was beyond his own life with Mary...this was about his life with God. Did he trust that God's promise of a Messiah could be possible? Did he trust that this promise could happen in his life time?
We also must ask ourselves...Do we trust God's will? Do we trust that God has something better planned for us in His promises? Joseph shows that he has courageous faith...are we willing to show this same courageous faith?
A great thought to fall asleep thinking about and challenging ourselves for the remainder of Advent!
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