Mass Reading & Meditation for December 20, 2014 Catholic Meditations Meditation: Isaiah 7:10-14 3rd Week of Advent I will not ask! (Isaiah 7:12) Was Ahaz crazy? When a prophet tells you that God wants to give you a sign, it’s like receiving a surprise gift wrapped in colorful paper. Ahaz’s response is like Aladdin finding the magic lamp and then telling the genie he didn’t have any wishes. But God didn’t let Ahaz’s hesitation stop him. He gave the king a sign by way of a prophecy about a young girl conceiving a child who would be “Emmanuel,” God with us! Of course, God is not a genie in a bottle. But he is a loving, powerful Father who enjoys blessing his children. Despite our reasons for hesitating to ask for a sign, despite our mistaken idea that only the holiest of saints hear God, he wants to speak to us. He wants to bless us. He wants to intervene in our lives every day so that we can look back and say, “I know God spoke to me in this situation.” God wants to give you signs, too. What kind of sign can you expect? It may be something downright miraculous, like a healing, so don’t hesitate to ask for one. It may also be something more mundane like an unexpected delay in your plans that causes you to avoid a traffic accident. Or it may be something surprising, like an innocent comment from a child that cuts you to the heart with a deeper truth. Sometimes God will speak to you in unexpected, playful, ways. Think of Balaam’s talking donkey or Gideon and his fleece or the sundial being turned back for Hezekiah. The point is that God is always speaking! We just need to be attentive to his voice. It’s not about measuring up to a certain standard. We don’t have to grit our teeth and work for it. Sometimes he speaks to us even if we don’t specifically ask! Just relax, and open your ears and eyes. Look for surprises. See how God will be part of your life today, and enjoy his embrace! “Lord, I believe you want to speak to me; I believe you hold me in your embrace. Open my ears to hear your voice. Open my eyes to see your hand in my life!” Psalm 24:1-6 Luke 1:26-38
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 13:58:39 +0000
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