“COME, LET US GO UP TO THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD” (Isa 2:3)

⏰Monaday of the First Week of Advent (03 December 2018 – Memorial of St. Francis Xavier)

📖Isa 2:1-5; Ps 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5, 6-7, 8-9 (R.v.1); Matt 8:5-11

My dear, at the beginning of this new working week, and just as we kick off the advent period to the fullest, the prophet Isaiah reminds us that God is set to do something new and better for us. And that would be achieved in our perfect union with God.

Recall what happened in 1 Kings 12:26ff. In a bid to protect his newly formed dynasty, King Jeroboam built an altar at Bethel so that the people would not be allowed to go to the house of God in Jerusalem to worship. Like Jeroboam, in order to protect our selfish interests, we have broken away from the true worship of God and now worship other gods in the form of fame, power and wealth.

So, God is set to bring to an end all backwardness and difficulties in your life. He is going to move you away from death and give life as he gave the servant of the centurion. Are you going to give him a chance by coming back to him?

St. Francis Xavier, whose memorial we celebrate today, was a man of noble descent, who was driven by ambition after everything worldly until he met St. Ignatius of Loyola. He became a changed person, who treasured God more than anything else. We too can do the same thing by allowing Jesus come into our lives today.

The centurion gives us two important dispositions that we must put on to show that we desire the saviour to come into our lives and our homes – faith and humility. The centurion had an extraordinary faith in the power of Jesus and an adorable respect for his greatness. So Jesus willingly did for him as he wished.

Do you have faith that Jesus can change your ugly storyline? If you do, try to match it with a respect for him by living righteously in this week and beyond, and you shall join to go up with joy into the house of the Lord (Ps 122:1).

May the Lord increase your faith in him and let his mighty hands remove all that are not of God in you so as to restore in you the joy of salvation. Amen.

Have a beautiful and miraculous new working week. Peace be with you.