Fr. Simon's Letter - December 4, 2022

In 2010, I was on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land for the first time. It was during the Advent season. What caught my eye was the Advent candle stands in practically all of the churches we visited. It was not the usual metal stand with some greenery around it. These candle stands were the stump of a tree with four branches or arms, with little or no greenery, that held the Advent candle. They were free-form, organic candle stands. Seeing them brought to mind the opening words from today's first reading, 'a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse.' This is a messianic prophecy. Jesse is the father of King David, from whom Jesus is a descendant.

If you happen to be in the mother’s chapel, look closely at the mural above the doors leading to the sanctuary. There you will see a young Jesus, sitting on the stump of a tree with budding shoots sprouting upwards, an apparent reference to the prophecy of Isaiah. But there is more to this prophecy. Isaiah envisions a world where ‘the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together…The baby shall play by the cobra’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair… There shall be no harm…’ Isaiah has such profound insight, already so early, into the mystery of God: God who wishes peace for his people is a God who loves. We all yearn for peace. For Isaiah the prophet, it was more than a yearning. It was a hope, an expectation, even a confident future certainty.

Advent is the time when we ask ourselves the question, do I really want peace? Do I really want to live with the wolf in my life? Do I really want to lie down with the leopard? Some of us may be working on ways to heal relationships during this festive season. Some may succeed, but others may face the reality of another question: without change, does the 'cold war' continue?

“Live with the wolf … Lie down with the leopard … Love my enemy …”  is part of the kingdom that Jesus speaks about. We might want to see this not so much as a command but as an invitation and a possibility. We have to believe that with the grace of God, by honestly wanting what God wants for us and by loving with God's love, we can move from possibility to reality. Let this Advent season bring us the peace we all want for ourselves and our world. Let it begin in us.

Among those yearning for peace and healing are those who have lost a loved one, and the holidays can be difficult for bereaved families. Next Sunday, December 11, in the evening, at 6:45 pm, we will gather in the basilica for the Worldwide Candle Lighting Service. At 7 pm, we will join others worldwide to pray with and for those who lost a child. This short prayer service helps us share the pain and show our solidarity with those who are hurting. In this season of giving, consider giving the gift of your time to pray with and for others.

Blessings!!