Sign Posts on the Way

Signpost for the beginning of Advent: 

“Welcome to the Strange”

 

How strange that, in yesterday’s Gospel reading (Lk. 21:25-28, 34-36), Jesus awakens our awareness with words like dismay, perplexed, roaring, die of fright, shaken, trap, assault, and tribulations – and in the midst of all that, says “stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand”.

 

How strange, that the Church chooses as its Gospel passage for today --Advent’s first weekday -- Mt. 8:5-11, about the cure of the servant of a Roman centurion and Jesus’ words about foreigners (in some cases, enemies) being at the heavenly banquet with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  

 

How strange, Advent’s familiar Cast of Characters:  a pregnant virgin; her betrothed, stunned by her pregnancy since the child isn’t his; a very old woman pregnant; her stunned husband; her child, a Wild Child who becomes God’s Wild Card for the Least Likely; angels; and, most importantly, Emmanuel, God-With-Us.

 

How very, very strange, that God chose to become fully human, fully with us.  No wonder we need a 4-week liturgical season to even begin to absorb this truth.  

 

For personal reflection:

* This Advent, how can I become more present to God being fully human, fully with us?

*What have been experiences of “Strange” in my life?  What graces did I experience through these experiences?

 *This Advent, with God’s grace, how can I become more fully human, more “with us”?