Readings
I - Sir. 48: 1-4, 9-11
II - Mt. 17: 10-13
HE COMES, COMES AND EVER COMES
In the first reading, Prophet Elijah is described as a prophet like fire and his word burned like a torch. It was the prophecy that Elijah would be coming before the days of the Messiah: “Lo, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes” (Mal. 4: 5). And John the Baptist was indeed vehemently preaching and preparing the way of the Lord. But as Jesus says in the Gospel passage of the day, they failed to recognise him and did to him whatever they pleased. Messiah was already with them and they fail to recognise him as well and therefore he had to suffer at human hands. The fail to recognise was because of their wilful neglect and adamant denial.
The great poet Rabindranath Tagore says: “He comes, comes, ever comes. Every moment and every age, every day and every night he comes, comes, ever comes”. We too like the people of Israel, the people of God, delving in our own ideas, thought pattern, mindset, preoccupation and prejudice fail to recognise Jesus, the Messiah who comes to us every day and every moment through persons and events. During this season of Advent, ask the Lord to grace us to recognise him as he comes to meet us so that we may not miss him when he comes all in his glory to take us to himself into his Kingdom. May our mind and heart resonate with the prayer: “Lord Jesus, help me recognise you in everything and in everyone”.
