Friday, December 13, 2024
Isaiah 48: 17-19
Psalm 1
Matthew 11:16-19
Listen! That is the underlying message from all three readings assigned for this date in Advent. In Isaiah, God laments the suffering that the ancient Israelites brought on themselves because they stubbornly did not listen to God’s guidance and wisdom.
Psalm 1 offers a similar admonition to listen to God’s teachings on what offers life and happiness rather than to social pressures for material things – the temporal as opposed to the spiritual – which may bring temporary comfort and happiness but not long-lasting peace. Matthew admonishes us to stop, listen and take heed of what we truly face in the world we live in; to be ready to look at situations and consider how they might be lived differently. Matthew’s audience did not listen to John the Baptist or Jesus, made misleading assumptions about what they saw, and demonstrated that they were quite disconnected from reality.
Listening is a critical skill that does not come naturally and that many of us find difficult to foster and apply. We have a tendency to jump right in. We succumb to the pressures of our immediate social circle or society at large to think and behave in a certain way. It is more comfortable to fit in with the norms prevalent around us than to chart our own path according to the wisdom of the Spirit. We must learn to welcome silence and listen to the small voice within us which re-affirms God’s presence and wisdom.
– Sandi Patterson
