lowly

Isaiah 29:17-24; Psalm 27 The Lord is my light and my salvation; Matthew 9:27-31

Isaiah speaks these words:
"The lowly will ever find joy in the Lord, the poor rejoice in the Holy one of Israel..."

Perhaps the reason so many of us are still without joy, are still without rejoicing is becasue we aren't lowly enough. Perhaps we still hold our selves in high estimation.

The lowly person is the one who knows he is need and wants only what he needs, nothing else will do. We are needed but are we lowly? We want many things, but do we truly want what we need?

Advent is the time to rediscover our lowliness in the proper sense of the word; advent is the time to stop holding ourselves in high esteem and start living in the esteem of God. Even the estimation of ourselves fails to truly capture our own worth and thus fail to reveal our true need.

Today ponder the words of Jesus in the gospel, the question he poses:
"Do you believe I can do this?...Let it be done for you according to your faith...And their eyes were opened."

A wonderful Advent meditation in deed.

Words from St. Anselm
"Insignificant man, escape from your everyday business for a short while, hide for a moment from your restless thoughts. Break off from your cares and troubles and be less concerned about your tasks and labors. Make a little time for God and rest a while in him. Speak now to God and say with your whole heart: I seek your face; your face, Lord, I desire."


Also, Hanukah started Dec 1 and last until dec 9; A Jewish feast that really is for all who desire religious liberty. The feast is really about the light that refused to burn out. The story can be found in the Book of Maccabees. It really is about courageously standing up for one's belief. Don't we all need to have little extra does of courage these days when it comes to our beliefs. Hanukah for all of us, may th elight of our faith also refuse to burn out.