It was December in the year 1903.
After several attempts, the Wright brothers – achieved success in getting their “flying machine” off the land.
They were very much thrilled!
They telegraphed this message Katherine, their sister, informing her of the great invention:
“We have actually flown 120 feet! Will be home for Christmas”
The sister was also super-excited.
She rushed to the editor of the local newspaper, to share the great news and showed him the telegraph message.
The editor glanced at the message and said:
“How nice! So the boys will be home for Christmas!”
Oh! The Editor had completely missed the big news – that man had flown for the first time in history!!
How often is this our experience too in life – Missing the Important Points and settling for lower ones!
We fail to give attention to the most important things of life?
>> Instead, we get carried away by some other less priorities of life!
This is so true, especially with respect to the Word of God?
>> The Lord promises so many wonderful things in His Holy Word..
… but often, we miss the point.
Something similar had happened to the people of Israel as well…
>> God had promised them of the coming of the Messiah…
… but they missed the point..
… and thus, failed to recognise the Saviour He came!
God had promised that Prophet Elijah of old would return…
… but they missed the point…
… and thus, failed to recognize the Prophet when he came!
This is what Jesus points out to His disciples in today’s Gospel, when He says:
“I tell you, Elijah has already come and they did not recognise him; but did to him, whatever they pleased” (Mt 17: 12)
John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, had come, preaching the message of repentance and conversion of heart (Mt 3:1)
The Gospel says that John the Baptist…
… wore a clothing made of camel’s hair
… had a leather belt around his waist
… had food of locusts and wild honey (Mt 4: 4)
This appearance was very similar to that of Elijah, the Prophet (2 Kings 1:8)
But in their encounter with John the Baptist, the people failed to recognise him as the “Elijah who was to come”
And thus John the Baptist came to be …
… rejected
… derided
… finally killed!
Many times in our life, we too “miss the point” in our encounter with the Lord…
>> He gives His Beautiful Word to us…
… but we fail to be encouraged by It and live by It
>> He makes many wonderful promises of assurance and guidance…
… but we fail to live a life of trust and confidence
>> He offers Himself wonderfully in the Sacraments, especially Confession and Holy Eucharist…
… but we fail to derive the necessary fruits from Them
Today, the Gospel invites us, to look at God’s Promises, God’s Word’s and God’s Will…
… and discover the true purpose of it in our lives.
This is more true as we prepare for Christmas…
Jesus is the BIG POINT of the Christmas
>> Let us dare not “miss Him”!
May we prepare our hearts to receive His Word as He wishes, in our life…
… and seek to live, in total accord with Him!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “Ought we not to love dearly the neighbour, who truly represents to us the Sacred Person of our Master?
>> And is this not one of the most powerful motives we could have for loving each other…
… with an ardently burning love?”
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