Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
"I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Only the more devout can rejoice when the Church reenters a season of penance. Anyone can be happy about the approach of Christmas, and have a thousand different reasons for doing so, with as many recipes, decorations, and songs. But it takes a childlike Catholic to be delighted when they're reminded that it's time to go to confession.
Perhaps the delight is like the doctor's lollipop that causes a child stuck by a hypodermic to stop crying and reach for the sweet. But it's sweeter. It's remembering the Child who is born to save me from sin and death, from humiliation and frustration, from resentment and remorse, from all the ridiculous things that caused me to forget that God is Still in Charge.
Recently we celebrated the feast of Christ the King of the Universe. I thought of it one day as I was grumbling about something. (I don't remember what.) How could anything be wrong once the One who was slain has taken his seat at the right hand of God? Whatever it is, or was, that I was complaining about -- is not important.
As the disciples returned from their first missionary journey and reported, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name," he laughed and said, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from the sky."
He might have said, "We are on the way and the end is in sight!"
Advent does that to us. We have only to acknowledge and repent of our sins. If that worries anyone, they should know their sins are only idle billboards on the Highway to Heaven.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.