“Preparing our hearts to receive His Word as He wishes, in our life and seeking to live, in total accord with Him!”

(Based on Sir 48:1-4, 9-11 and Mt 17:9a, 10-13 – Saturday of the 2nd Week in Advent)

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 truer as we prepare for Christmas…

Jesus is the BIG POINT of the Christmas

Let us dare not “miss Him!”

Let us 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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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE AND RECONCILIATION

Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.
Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit.
By receiving more frequently through this sacrament, the gift of the Father’s mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful:
Whoever confesses his sins… is already working with God.
God indicts your sins; if you also indict them, you are joined with God.
Man and sinner are, so to speak, two realities: when you hear “man” – this is what God has made; when you hear “sinner” – this is what man himself has made.
Destroy what you have made, so that God may save what he has made!
When you begin to abhor what you have made, it is then that your good works are beginning, since you are accusing yourself of your evil works.
The beginning of good works is the confession of evil works.

You do the truth and come to the light. (CCC # 1458)