THE THIRD WEDNESDAY IN ADVENT
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
MATTHEW 11:2-3 2When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples 3and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?"
How strange that John the Baptist would ask of Jesus, “Are you the one to come or are we to wait for another?” Is this the same John who earlier in his ministry said of Jesus, “This is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, 'Prepare the way of the Lord. Make his path straight.'"? Apparently John did not recognize Jesus.
Verse four of the Advent hymn All Earth Is Hopeful reminds us that we meet Jesus everyday in our neighbors. Sometimes we recognize him and sometimes we don’t.
We first saw Jesus a baby in a crib
This same Lord Jesus today has come to live
in our world.
He is present in neighbors we see
Our Jesus is with us, and ever sets us free.
I have an irrational fear of being confined, locked in. When I visit the mental health ward of a hospital and hear the door lock behind me, my heart begins to race and my palms sweat. Imagine my terror, panic, horror when I was called upon to visit a convicted murderer in a maximum security prison. It wasn’t visiting a murderer that terrorized me but the thought of being locked in, confined like I had never been before.
The day before my dreaded visit I met a Roman Catholic priest at a funeral. I told him about my upcoming visit and how I was dreading it. “Oh,” he said, “I am the chaplain on death row at that prison. I’ll meet you there tomorrow and walk you through it.” There is not doubt in my mind that I met Jesus in that man. I am happy to say that unlike other times, this time I recognized him and thanked him for being present in my life.
SO WHAT experiences have you had when you met Jesus and recognized his coming to you?
Stir up your power, O Lord, and come. Come to us and open our eyes to your coming and make us thankful. AMEN
Not sure that I have met Jesus but my dad has. Well, it is a strange little story. My dad (at the time, a college prof) had a stroke about 20 years ago and was in the hospital. I went to see him and he was trying to tell me who had visited him. He said that the priest had been in and he brought Jesus with him. It took a few minutes until I realized that the priest brought communion and that is why dad said he brought Jesus.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry I have missed Him because I wasn't expecting Him. I pray He'll open my eyes.
ReplyDelete