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!

——————————–

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?”

——————————–