Monday of the Second Week of Advent
(Isaiah 35:1-10;
Luke 5:17-26)
During the
first weeks of Advent the gospel of the mass always fulfills the prophecy of
Isaiah in the first reading. Today
Isaiah proclaims that Israel will experience soon the coming of the Lord. Isaiah says that the Lord will not only heal
the afflicted but also transform nature. With his coming the desert will turn
into a watered garden. The new reality
will enable the people who have been exiled in Assyria to return to their
homeland.
In the
gospel people come to Jesus who is a kind of watered garden refreshing the
faith of the people. They come from all
over Israel to experience his salvation.
He heals the paralyzed man and, more wondrously, forgives his sins. In doing so, the scribes and Pharisees give
indirect testimony that Jesus is God. Since
only God can forgive sin, Jesus must be God!
Sometimes
we feel exiled on the fringe of a desert and far from salvation. We become sick or injured. Those around have lost trust in God. People appear increasingly careless if not
cruel. We too should go to Jesus, accompanied by others who believe in him. He will lift our spirits and heal our souls.
