Advent calls us to an
attitude of waiting and expectation. “On
Jordan’s Bank, the Baptist’s cry announces that the Lord is nigh. Awaken and hearken, for he brings glad tidings
of the King of Kings.” Our pilgrim group
sang this at the Jordan as we celebrated a renewal of Baptismal Promises. It was a moving experience to be there, where
John the Baptist became God’s instrument to begin the public ministry of Jesus. Even as we were renewing our commitment,
there were many who were being baptized in the Jordan. All around us there were signs of Faith in
persons who had traveled to that place from all over the world.
The commitment made by
our pilgrims is one that each one of us needs to renew. It is clear that the world needs witnesses to
the Truth of the Gospel. People come to Faith
not from reading a book or watching a video, but rather from seeing other human
beings who are convinced of the Gospel.
We pray before each of
our weekend Masses that the Lord may make our parish “amazing.” This is a Biblical expression and image. It corresponds to the response of those who
witnessed the unfolding of the Gospel for the first time. When the Apostles had received the Holy
Spirit on Pentecost, their preaching and the many healings and other acts of
power that they performed led their hearers to amazement and wonder. This created room for Faith. We are praying in the Amazing Parish Prayer
that our visible expression of Faith may reveal us to be, by God’s grace, “so on-fire that we draw people” to make
the same commitment to Jesus the Lord.
May we allow God to
work in our hearts to inspire Faith so true that the world will believe in
Jesus Christ.
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