31 December 2015 - from the end to the beginning

[ Today's Readings ]

Children, it is the last hour; 

We are called to be ready. We don't know when Jesus will return or call us home. But we do know that it will come like a thief. How do we prepare for it? We prepare by being faithful to what we have heard from the beginning. 

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.

We might be tempted to seek out novel and new solutions when the problems we face seem to be worse and worse. But the Word is unchanging. From the beginning he sees clear through to the end. All is taken into account in the plan he has for us. So we don't need something new. We are reminded of this "not because you do not know the truth but because you do". Rather than seeking something new we need to get more and more grounded in the truth we already know. This is how Saint John of the Cross puts it:

In giving us his Son, his only word (for he possesses no other), he spoke everything to us at once in this sole word—and he has no more to say ... Any person questioning God or desiring some vision or revelation would not only be guilty of foolish behavior but also of offending him, by not fixing his eyes entirely upon Christ and by living with the desire for some other novelty (II Ascent 22, 3&5)

The Word already spoken  is echoed over us at baptism. It gives the power to become children of God and makes us truly to be so, not by man's decision, but by God. This is now the deepest truth of our identities. This is where we must begin our efforts to be prepared. That is why John's warning starts with "Children" when he tells s it is the last hour. When we remember this reality and live from it we realize that we are not powerless before the Antichrists of the world.

you have the anointing that comes from the Holy One,
and you all have knowledge. 

A challenge today would be to periodically say this to ourselves, out loud, about ourselves, and to keep saying it until we believe it. It is scripture. And if we are children of God is shouldn't really be unbelievable. Say, "I have the anointing that comes from the Holy One". And even, "I have all knowledge", especially at times when we are tempted to doubt and fear.

We are children of the light and of the day. We shine as lights of the world. This is the light that the darkness can neither comprehend nor overcome.

What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.

The end times may be coming, but the solution exists already. It is he who gives us grace in place of grace and makes us ready for whatever may come.

The LORD comes,
he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy

30 December 2015 - anna's unbound heart

[ Today's Readings ]

She never left the temple,
but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. 

Anna definitely knows that "all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world." She isn't interested in that anymore. She is open to what God is doing. 

And coming forward at that very time,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

She is consumed by what God is doing. She can't help but celebrate it. But unlike Anna we can't live without leaving the temple. Our hearts often get distracted. If God's presence passes as near to us as it does to Anna we might miss it. It isn't hard if we aren't looking. Even when we notice it we don't celebrate it with the full sincerity of Anna's unbound heart.

We need, more than Anna, reminders of what we already know.

I am writing to you, children,
because your sins have been forgiven for his name’s sake.

I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.

I am writing to you, young men,
because you have conquered the Evil One.

Even in the world we can recognize and celebrate the presence of God if we just build these reminders into our lives. The word of God, the Sacraments, and prayer, are where we experience them. When we let ourselves be reminded of the hope of Israel which we possess we share in Anna's joy.

But whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Embracing the word makes us steadfast against the temptations and distractions the world offers. Embracing the word is the only source of lasting joy. It transforms us from idle bystanders to people who worship in Spirit and truth.

Bring gifts, and enter his courts;
worship the LORD in holy attire.
Tremble before him, all the earth

29 December 2015 - embrace the light

[ Today's Readings ]

for the darkness is passing away,
and the true light is already shining. 

We can't remain in darkness. Our light has come.

In the darkness we don't know where we are going. We don't have a purpose strong enough to give us direction. In the darkness we stumble and our lives just don't seem to flow.

The Word is made flesh and revealed to us. We need to keep his word because then the "love of God is truly perfected" in us. We need to embrace the word just as Simeon embraces him in the temple.

he took him into his arms and blessed God

Let us take the Word into our arms and hearts and bless God:

Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name. 

By embracing the words of the Word we embrace the Word himself. When we do we are filled with the light of the dawn which breaks at Christmas. We see in our own arms the light to the nations.

Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.

The child is destined for the rise and fall of many. He reveals the secret darkness still hidden within our hearts. But only so that we may embrace the light.

Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.

28 December 2015 - innocent lights

[ Today's Readings ]

God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.

This is the light which dawns on the world at Christmas. Jesus himself is the bright morning star (cf. Revelation 22:16). He himself is the radiance of God's glory, the exact expression of his nature (cf. Hebrews 1:3).

We are called to be the light of the world (cf. Matthew 5:14). But there are many risks which might prevent us from living this out. Our light must find its source in his light (cf. Ephesians 5:14). We must walk with the light he gives us if we want to shine ourselves (cf. John 12:35). When we have his light in us it is still possible for us to hide it. We must instead let it shine.

None of us do this perfectly. We don't always come to Jesus to be filled with light. We squander the light he does give us.

If we say, “We are without sin,”
we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

It is possible to see the light of the star and still to massacre the children just as Herod does. Many in society are dimly aware of the star that shines above the manager and yet enshrine the right to abortion. Yet even those of us who condemn abortion are still sometimes complicit in the very same darkness. Our materialism, our pride, and our lack of love and compassion stem from the same evil source. And when we are in the darkness in this way we help to build a culture of death rather than life.

That point is not that we are as guilty as Herod. But when we realize that the darkness that tries to ensnare us is the very same darkness to which he succumbed grace can help us to revile that darkness, to be repulsed by it, and to gain some freedom from sin. Freedom is free, in this case, if we just want it.

But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, 
Jesus Christ the righteous one.
He is expiation for our sins,
and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.

Without grace all is darkness. On our own strength we only resist the sins which don't appeal to us. But the light has dawned and is available to us. We need to receive it so that don't build the culture of death ourselves. We need to shine with it to call out those who do live in that culture. The Holy Innocents who were slain by Herod bear witness to Jesus. In a way, so do all of those slain by abortion. Let us heed their witness and turn from darkness. Let us embrace the light.

Broken was the snare,
and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.

27 December 2015 - wholly unfamiliar

[ Today's Readings ]

“Son, why have you done this to us?
Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”

Is this really the example we want for the feast of the Holy Family? If we were trying to think of biblical examples of family life we would probably choose something else first. We'd want an example where everyone was more considerate and nobody had to worry.

But the Church is realistic. Even the perfect family can't always have perfect circumstances. There are times when Jesus must put his heavenly Father before his earthly parents. He is obedient to them as much as he can be but his Father's house has the priority.

Although this causes his mother and father to worry about him it is precisely this that allows their family life to work so well. It is because God comes first that when they run into issues like this they are able to respond with love.

Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another, 
if one has a grievance against another; 
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.

They show us what family life can be. It isn't always a life free from worry. But it is a life so transformed by compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness that we can have a deeper peace even when life gives us cause for anxiety.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, 
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, 
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs 
with gratitude in your hearts to God.

When we feel afraid because something important seems to be missing in our lives let us return to the Father's house. Let forgiveness reestablish any relationships which are damaged. We can watch as our own anxiety gives way to the peace of Christ. The trust which Jesus shows in his heavenly Father begins to mark us as well.

See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
And so we are.

It is only when the Father is at the forefront that we our families can live as God intends us to live. Only with the love and forgiveness that come from him alone do we truly manage to honor fathers and mothers or take care of wives and children. But what wonderful blessed lives we live when he does come first.

Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.

26 December 2015 - god universe for stephen

[ Today's Readings ]

When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.

If we aren't spending all of our time planning what we are going to say it isn't because we have the faith of Saint Stephen. More likely, it is because we aren't concerned about being handed over to situations where we have to be a witness for Jesus. Yet even the extreme form of this isn't something we should dismiss off hand. Society may well eventually require martyrdom from us as witness. But even if it does not, the complex minefield of friend and family often requires witness of us. So giving witness to Jesus isn't something we should dismiss off hand. We aren't going to get off the hook for it. Each of us will face circumstances where, in addition to the witness of our lives, we are required to witness with words. How do we not freak out and rely on God to give us those words?

You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Saint Stephen embodies this. He is thrust into the hardest of situations. He faces the lies of his antagonists before he faces their violence. Responding from his own resources would be reactionary and probably defensive. If his speech was prepared a large part of it would probably be to protect both ego and body. It would miss the big picture because it was too concerned with addressing the individual arguments of his opponents. But Stephen's secret is precisely that he sees the big picture.

“Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man
standing at the right hand of God.”

This perspective is how he is able to use his words for genuine teaching. It keeps him from becoming reactionary. It allows him to even pray for the people who stone him. His self-interest and limited perspective are not limits for him because he sees behind the scenes to the deeper truth of Jesus reigning in heaven. He isn't on his own and so he doesn't have to act like it. He is able to entrust all he is to God.

Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy.

25 December 2015 - his birth and ours

[ Readings for Mass at Dawn ]

Light dawns for the just;
and gladness for the upright of heart.

The star guides us to him. But even the star is just a dim reflection of him who is the light that shines in the darkness. A chorus of angels lights up the sky. But even they must go away to heaven so that none may distract from

With the shepherds we follow the message of the angel to the stable and to the manger where our savior rests. With them we see "the kindness and generous love of God our savior" has appeared to us in the flesh. He comes as an infant. Like with all children but even more so we realize that we there is nothing we do to deserve this. It is all mercy.

This is not a merely sentimental image. This unmerited birth means that we can all be born anew to a living hope (cf. 1 Peter 3:9). Our own baptism is meaningful because it unites us to this birth. It unites us to the innocence of this child. It unites us to his obedience to his Father. It unites us to the protective love of his mother.

He saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

This baby means that we are not forsaken. We are not forgotten. The hopes and fears of all the years are met in him. He is the yes to all of God's promises (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:2). He is the reward and the recompense for which we long.

Like Mary, we should keep all these things and reflect on them in our heart. Like the shepherds we should return from Christmas glorifying and praising God for all we see and hear. They show us how to be transformed by Christmas and what that transformation looks like.

The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.

24 December 2015 - dawn is breaking

[ Today's Readings ]

the dawn from on high shall break upon us

Tomorrow morning it breaks upon us. Jesus himself is the bright morning star which rises. Let us be attentive to the first light on the horizon "until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts".

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:6).

The shadow of death surrounds us. But now the fullness of time is come. God has not abandoned us. He has remembered his promise. Our ancient foes, sin and death, are vanquished tomorrow.

Through his prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.

Because of his coming there is nothing for us to fear. He comes with his rod and staff to shepherd us and comfort us. This baby who is born for us is somehow stronger than all of this world's strength. Because he is born we need no longer be slaves to the fear of death. The life which is stronger than death is finally revealed.

The Son of the Eternal Father brings his Sonship to our frail human nature. He establishes the relationship which the Father always intended for us to have with him.

I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.

The birth of Jesus makes this relationship to the Father available to you and me. At the celebration of his birth let's not just observe him. It isn't just about a past event. He wants to be born in us and therefore in our world today. Let's join ourselves to him in love, with Mary as our mother and God as our Father.

As the first rays of dawn begin to peak over the horizon we fix our gaze on the hope which tomorrow bursts forth in fullness. We prepare our hearts for the Savior who wants to be born in us. We prepare ourselves to embrace a deeper relationship with God the Father and Mary our mother. This is the basis for a kingdom which can never be destroyed, where fear has no place.

Your house and your Kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever.’

Because of Christmas we are able to say with Jesus, "You are my father, my God, the rock, my savior." Forever he maintains his kindness toward us. Forever let us sing!

23 December 2015 - prepare him our hearts

[ Today's Readings ]

Lo, I am sending my messenger
to prepare the way before me;

Jesus is coming soon. The LORD wants to help us to get ready. He wants us to prepare a way for the LORD in our hearts. We are used to hearing this and so we take it for granted. But he is calling us to prepare because we need preparation. He wants to bless us at Christmas but he can only bless us to the degree that our hearts our open. If we don't prepare we don't benefit. Just as only the pure of heart will see God (cf. Matthew 5:8, Hebrews 12:14) hearts which do not prepare will be blinded by God's overwhelming purity. The glory is so overwhelming that people who are too lost in selfishness miss it. Even Herod finds out about the star and claims to what to find the child "so that I too may go and worship him" (ct. Matthew 2:8). But in reality Herod perceives the child as a threat to his power and to business as usual. He perceives the child as a threat. If only he had responded to the LORD's invitation to us all. We are called to prepare our hearts.

Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.
But who will endure the day of his coming?
And who can stand when he appears?
For he is like the refiner’s fire,
or like the fuller’s lye.

In fact, none of us will endure the day of his coming on our own. Our own spiritual strength is not enough. Our purity is not enough. That is why we must hear the call to prepare as at the same time an offering to equip us with all we need, "so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (cf. 2 Timothy 3:17). He himself leads us up the mountain. He brings us to the place where he can reveal himself if we just respond to his invitation and follow him.

After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them (cf. Mark 9:2-3).

The purity of the LORD is more than any fuller could bleach any garment. But the LORD is more than capable of revealing this to us if we let him lead and prepare us. He is a consuming fire. But he only tests and purifies us with this fire because to him our faith is more precious than fire-tried gold (cf. 1 Peter 1:7).

We hear 'Prepare the way' and we either ignore it or freak out and make long lists of all the work we ought to do, all the events we ought to attend, and all the prayers we ought to pray. Neither is the response to which we are called. Instead we hear 'prepare' and turn to the LORD be prepared. 

Perhaps like Zechariah we just need to give the LORD some quiet in our souls. Even if we can't be still in our daily grind perhaps we can still give him some space inside ourselves where he can speak. We know we are on the right track when he inspires us to experience wonder.

All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,
“What, then, will this child be?
For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.”

To prepare requires little more of us than what the psalmist commends. "Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand." We need our minds to move just a little bit more to the things above (cf. Colossians 3:2) in expectant hope. It is more a matter of perspective than action. And the perspective is something to which the LORD is constantly inviting us with messengers large and small. He himself makes possible the advent perspective we need.

Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.

Watch for his messengers today!

O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:

come to save us, Lord our God!

22 December 2015 - he has looked with favor

[ Today's Readings ]

I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request. 
Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD;
as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.

Thanksgiving helps to free us to serve God. We realize that God can and does meet our needs. We learn that it isn't all about who is mighty and who is tottering. It isn't about who is pour and who is rich.

He raises the needy from the dust;
from the dung heap he lifts up the poor,
To seat them with nobles
and make a glorious throne their heritage.

Thanksgiving teaches us to trust in the God who is worthy of our trust. It teaches us that since he got us through what we went through he can get us through what we're going through.

Mary is no exception. She sees God's faithfulness in the life of Elizabeth. She has a habit of treasuring the things God does in her heart, of keeping them there, reflecting on them, and drawing strength from them. This is why she is able to unleash a hymn of praise like the world has never heard before or since. More than anyone else she realizes and celebrates what God does for her.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
for he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

We can learn from Mary. She wants to teach us to appreciate what God does in our lives so that we can trust him. She wants us to believe that the promise of the LORD will be fulfilled in us as it was in her. At this chaotic time of the year we need her to help us to treasure what God does in our hearts. When we do so we find the strength to trust him. Our hearts are opened to praise him.

My heart exults in the LORD,
my horn is exalted in my God.
I have swallowed up my enemies;
I rejoice in my victory.

O King of all nations and keystone of the Church:

come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!

21 December 2015 - radiance dawning

[ Today's Readings ]

Here he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
peering through the lattices.

Our LORD is close at hand. The radiant dawn is beginning to break. The sun of justice is starting to rise, edging over the horizon.

In the Christmas season of preparation we might forget why he comes. He doesn't come as a manager peaking over our shoulder to make sure we're hard at work. He doesn't come as an angry boss looking for an excuse to punish us. He comes because he loves us. He doesn't bear a grudge. He is fascinated with us and captivated by us beyond anything we deserve.

My lover speaks; he says to me,
“Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one,
and come!

We wonder what he can possibly see in us. Not finding anything to merit this love we try to earn it. But earning it is both impossible and unnecessary.

O my dove in the clefts of the rock,
in the secret recesses of the cliff,
Let me see you,
let me hear your voice, 
For your voice is sweet,
and you are lovely.

We don't deserve it. There is a judgment against us. But he himself removes that judgment so that we "have no further misfortune to fear." He rescues us from what we actually deserve because he loves us too much to abandon us to our fates. He did not make death and takes no delight in it. None of the consequences of the fall of Adam and Eve give him any pleasure or joy. So he comes to the rescue. His love for us is so much greater than the condemnation which strict justice would demand.

When we remember why he comes we experience the same response as Elizabeth to his presence.

And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy. 

Let's trust in his love for us. He doesn't come to condemn us but so that we might have life through him (cf. John 3:17). Instead of a voice of condemnation we hear a song of joy.

He will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.

Let us listen to that song. Let us soak in the love he has for us. And then let us join in the music.

Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
Sing to him a new song;
pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness.

O Radiant Dawn,

splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:

come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the

shadow of death.

20 December 2015 - greet expectations

[ Today's Readings ]

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb, 

Let's listen with Elizabeth to Mary's greeting.

Mary carries her LORD within her. She brings him to Elizabeth. She wants to bring him to us as well. Even before he reveals his face to the world at Christmas he reveals his presence through Mary. If let her bring her son to us we will be more prepared to welcome him this Christmas.

As we hear Mary's greeting let us be open to the Holy Spirit.

and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, 
cried out in a loud voice and said, 
“Blessed are you among women, 
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit when Mary greets her. It is both the greeting of Mary and the presence of the savior which opens Elizabeth to the Holy Spirit.

Jesus is very much still hidden and mysterious when Mary comes to Elizabeth but the Holy Spirit reveals him.

And how does this happen to me, 
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

In many ways Jesus is still hidden in our world today. Even his coming at Christmas doesn't demand attention. It is easy to miss if we want. Everything else demands attention in this season, presents, people, and parties. But not Jesus. He invites and he welcomes but he does not demand. He does not clamor for attention. We need Mary to bring Jesus to us so that we can be filled with the Holy Spirit and so recognize his coming.

How else can we recognize the firm shepherd of the flock of Israel in a helpless babe?

He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock
by the strength of the LORD,
in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;
and they shall remain, for now his greatness
shall reach to the ends of the earth;
he shall be peace.

Mary is able to do this for us precisely because she believes that the promise the LORD made to her will be fulfilled. She trusts in God so completely that she is able to be completely transparent to his purpose in her. 

She helps us to recognize his presence so that we understand the significance of the face, the body, and the flesh and blood, which are revealed on Christmas. As her son Jesus has these things from her. This too is because she trusts in God's promise.

By this “will,” we have been consecrated 
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Let us hear Mary's greeting. Let us be open to the Spirit. He will reveal Jesus to us and help us to recognize him at Christmas. We can understand the full meaning of his coming and receive it as a gift which both he and Mary together offer to each one of us.

Once again, O LORD of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see;
take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.

O Key of David,

opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom:

come and free the prisoners of darkness!

19 December 2015 - in solemn silence wait

[ Today's Readings ]

for this boy is to be consecrated to God from the womb. 

What is God calling us to consecrate to him this morning? He calls Manoah and his wife to consecrate their son to him. He calls Elizabeth and Zechariah to do the same. He does not call them because they are qualified. He qualifies them because they are called.

And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified (cf. Romans 8:30).

In both cases the LORD gives these families something they desperately want. A son and an heir means more than anything to them. But he then calls them both to consecrate this gift back to him. He gives them a gift to offer him back. We may take it for granted that they can easily do this. But it probably isn't that easy. When God gives us amazing gifts how ready are we to consecrate them to his purposes? Or do we instead go off to use them for our own purposes and plans?

The LORD calls us to consecrate our entire lives to him. He does not call us because our lives are immaculate. They aren't. But he does give us gifts which themselves become acceptable offerings back to him.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (cf. Romans 12:1).

We can understand why Zechariah is reluctant to commit to this plan, even when an angel stands before him explaining it. He is devout. But his life is still in his own hands. He has to regard having a son as impossible. Still less can he imagine offering him back to the LORD. We ought to sympathize with him when he doubts and asks, "How shall I know this?"

God gives him the silence he needs to come to grips with this. He imposes on him the stillness he needs to come to grips with it.

But now you will be speechless and unable to talk
until the day these things take place,
because you did not believe my words,
which will be fulfilled at their proper time.

And while he won't likely force that on us it is nevertheless a good strategy. It will help us to come to the place where we can not only receive the miraculous gifts the LORD has for us but to a place where we can offer them back to him in turn. If we are willing to shut our mouths for a time the LORD will open them again and fill them with praise.

I will treat of the mighty works of the LORD;
O God, I will tell of your singular justice.
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.

18 December 2015 - joyful hope

[ Today's Readings ]

Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David;

We are called to wait in joyful hope for the coming of Jesus. We are called to increase our expectations for the good he wants to do and the difference he wants to make.

As king he shall reign and govern wisely,
he shall do what is just and right in the land.
In his days Judah shall be saved,
Israel shall dwell in security.
This is the name they give him:
“The LORD our justice.”

Jesus saves us from the one thing that can keep us from having true peace and security.

She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.

Jesus solves the sin problem. He solves the death problem. In him alone can we dwell in security. 

He wants to come closer to us than ever before this Christmas. This is part of what we should expect. His salvation is not something distant which we see on the news and then forget. It is something that touches every heart that welcomes him.

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,

which means "God is with us."

Behold the days are coming. Behold the virgin shall conceive. The LORD our justice approaches. He comes so close that we name him Emmanuel. This is what he calls us to expect. Because of this we have every reason to be excited. We have every reason to wait in joy.

Let us be attentive to the Holy Spirit. Joseph has his own plans which, if he follows them, will cause him to miss his encounter with Emmanuel. But he listens to the angel of the LORD and is changes his plans. We too have plans that seem great. It seems like we've thought of everything. But in this holiday season let us remain attentive in case the LORD wants to visit us in unexpected ways as well. Any alterations to our plan are worth it if the result is an encounter with Emmanuel.

Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous deeds.
And blessed forever be his glorious name;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.

17 December 2015 - genealogy in a bottle

[ Today's Readings ]

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,
the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Why a genealogy? It sure seems tedious. It is a lot of names we don't know and maybe a few we do. But the genealogies are present because Jesus is real. He is not a myth. He is not the character in an epic poem. Matthew and Luke present genealogies precisely because Jesus is a real purpose who comes at a real point in history.

The genealogy is an antidote to our tendency to over spiritualize Jesus. We sometimes treat Jesus more like an idea than a person. We treat him more like an embodiment of our own voice of conscience than someone who speaks to us from outside of ourselves. Most everyone else that has a genealogy can't be approached easily or on demand. We must call them or visit them or take other steps to communicate. We learn from the genealogy not to take it for granted that Jesus says, "I am with you always" (cf. Matthew 28:20). This might be how our conscience works. It is more or less 'always on.' But it is not usually how it works with concrete persons with whom we can have relationship. Yet it is how it works with Jesus. It reminds us of his reality. It reminds us that he approaches us from outside of ourselves. Even so, he is always there waiting for us.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me (cf. Revelation 3:20).

The genealogy reveals God's mercy. It shows that he is even able to work through sinful people to be present to the world. Many people on the list commit great sins. Yet God uses these as part of his plan to become present to the world in spite of their failings. Because he is real and because he comes from outside of us our failings don't limit him. Yet we see too that he does not choose to work apart from these flawed individuals. He can work through us as well. He wants to work through us.

The genealogy reveals God's faithfulness to his promise.

The scepter shall never depart from Judah,
or the mace from between his legs,
While tribute is brought to him,
and he receives the people’s homage

God enthrones Jesus as the king who reigns forever, whose "scepter shall never depart from Judah". Genealogy is fulfillment. It is not wishful thinking. It is concrete and historical. So too, then, shall be his promises for us.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (cf. Philippians 1:6).

God in Jesus Christ is fully qualified to bring an age of genuine peace into the world of concrete history. He begins in the lives of Christians but he does not stop there.

Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.

He begins in our lives. But he works through our lives to make his peace present in the world. This is the peace for which the world longs, the peace which the world needs.

In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness. 

16 December 2015 - restored

[ Today's Readings ]

Jesus calls us to recognize him this morning. How can those who live in bible times find if if Jesus is the one who is to come or if they should look for another? It isn't his appearance for he appears in the likeness of man. How do we answer the same question? How do we distinguish Jesus from all of the other religious leaders that vie for our attention? How do we distinguish the thoughts he sends to us from the thoughts that come from other spirits or from our own minds? 

In short, we all need to be able to recognize Jesus better. Today the sign he gives us to recognize him is restoration. He does not abandon his plans for creation when sin corrupts it. Nor does he abandon his plans for us. He doesn't flee from corruption to some purely spiritual world. Instead he rebuilds, he renews, and he restores.

The designer and maker of the earth
who established it,
Not creating it to be a waste,
but designing it be lived in:
I am the LORD, and there is no other.

God is not powerless before the problems we see. Nor is he indifferent. He knows in advance how sin will taint the world. In advance he knows how to fix it. Just as rain allows for the natural cycles of growth so too does God's salvation renew the spiritual order.

Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above,
like gentle rain let the skies drop it down.
Let the earth open and salvation bud forth;
let justice also spring up!

If we see a god who is powerless, a god who abandons his initial goals as hopeless, we do not see our God. Let us invite the true God to show us the ways in which he renews the earth.

Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Savior.

Let us behold the healing he wants to bring.

And Jesus said to them in reply,
“Go and tell John what you have seen and heard:
the blind regain their sight,
the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear, the dead are raised, 
the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. 

What of those times when God doesn't bring healing? We know that the cross is a part of this Christian life. Is that God turning his back on creation? Just the opposite. In the cross we see a God who refuses to let go of his initial goals in creation in the face of pain, suffering, and death. He only dies in the body so that the body may be restored.

being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (cf. Philippians 2:7-8).

So, rather than being inconsistent with his renewal of creation, it is precisely at the cross that we see this renewal in its most profound form. We realize recognize Jesus more in the paschal mystery than anywhere else.

To me every knee shall bend;
by me every tongue shall swear,
Saying, “Only in the LORD
are just deeds and power.

This is why Mel Gibson's "The Passion" places the line from Revelation, "Behold I make all things new" precisely in the heart of the passion. It is the same in daily life. The cross can be distinguished from worthless suffering because the cross is not a surrender. The cross is renewal and life.

And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.

Let's look for Jesus today. Let us look for the ways in which he wants to renew our bodies, minds, and spirits. Let us look for him even in the hard places of suffering to see if there is something deeper beneath the surface, his "just deeds and power" waiting to be revealed.

15 December 2015 - radiant with joy

[ Today's Readings ]

Will we go out into the vineyard? It isn't what we say we're going to do, or even what we intend, that matters most. It matters the most that we actually get out there.

This means we must be cautious against fooling ourselves with good intentions and lofty sounding words that never seem to go anywhere. We must be cautious about being hearers of the word only (cf. James 1:22) who fool ourselves into thinking we are doers because we think or talk about it so much. Blog writers in particular do a lot of thinking and talking. But it does not mean we are necessarily in the vineyard.

The upside to this is that even if we are against going out into the vineyard, if are in the camp of the tax collectors and sinners, it isn't too late to change our minds. We might say, 'I will not serve,' truly believing that we never will. But it isn't too late to about face and start now.

This good news isn't just for new converts formerly committed to their lives of sin. It is for those of us who have put limits on our lives with God. Many of us are at places we consider to be, more or less, 'good enough.' We don't really intend to go much further, to seek radical holiness, or to become saints. But even if we don't intend to become saints right now we are nevertheless called to be saints. There are only saints in heaven. Even if we have accepted 'good enough' and are waiting to let purgatory do the rest we are invited to repent, to change our minds, and to get out into the vineyard this morning. God does not hold this reluctance against us. He is happy to see us in the vineyard. Even if we are late to arrive he will still give us the full day's wage.

The LORD doesn't want us to talk or think about him less. He wants us to do more. He himself is gives us the strength we need to do more. In fact, without him we can do nothing (cf. John 15:5). If we come to him he will bring our words and our lives into harmony.

For then I will change and purify
the lips of the peoples,
That they all may call upon the name of the LORD,
to serve him with one accord;

We no longer exalt ourselves in God's holy mountain because we see when our words are empty. And without God's strength our words are always empty. So finally we come to trust in the LORD and draw near to God. We accept the correction of our actions so that we are not just all talk.

But I will leave as a remnant in your midst
a people humble and lowly,
Who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD:
the remnant of Israel.
They shall do no wrong
and speak no lies;
Nor shall there be found in their mouths
a deceitful tongue;

The LORD hears the poor when we call to him. Since we are too weak for work in the vineyard he himself gives us the strength we need.

Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.

We need to abandon pretense. We need to come before him in humility. When we do we experience his salvation. If it breaks our hearts to realize that we are nothing without him, so be it, he is close to the brokenhearted. 

14 December 2015 - crowd-sourcing

[ Today's Readings ]

“By what authority are you doing these things? 
And who gave you this authority?” 

This is a good question asked for the wrong reasons. When we really understand the authority of Jesus we are astonished.

And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes (cf. Matthew 7:28-29).

The chief priests and elders on the other hand do not ask because they are actually interested. They're worried about popular opinion. How does the authority of Jesus compare to their own? They don't like all the positive press Jesus is getting and want to bring him back down to the playing field of normal human religious leaders. They try to make Jesus say either A) he isn't so special after all, or B) something which will get him arrested for blasphemy. But Jesus has no need to answer a question like this. Instead, he crowd-sources the answer:

Where was John’s baptism from?
Was it of heavenly or of human origin?” 
They discussed this among themselves and said,
“If we say ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say to us,
‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 
But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we fear the crowd,
for they all regard John as a prophet.” 

It is about more than what Jesus says about himself after all.

If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true (cf. John. 5:31).

The crowds reveal that this isn't all talk. The people sense something about him, some authority that no one else has. 

The officers answered, "No one ever spoke like this man!" (cf. John. 7:46)

Jesus does not need to testify to himself. If we just look at his life with open eyes and open hearts he reveals himself to us at a level that is more persuasive than mere words. Why should we look? We can see what difference he makes in the lives of the crowds, in biblical times, and now. Yet, like Peter, we can't stop there. They crowd might ultimately settle on Jesus being Elijah or one of the prophets (cf. Matthew. 16:14). The crowds force us to take Jesus seriously. They prove that this is more the idle talk. But ultimately only our Father in heaven can reveal to us that he is the Son of God.

I see him, though not now;
I behold him, though not near:
A star shall advance from Jacob,
and a staff shall rise from Israel.

He is coming to us and we are called to look "enraptured, and with eyes unveiled" as he does. Two thousand years after his birth he is still a controversial figure who we can't ignore or easily dismiss. But he desires more than this. He wants us to truly know him, not just about him. He wants us to know who he is, not merely what he says about himself. The crowds that sort of get it can point us in the right direction. But only he can ultimately reveal himself to us.

Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.

13 December 2015 - shout for joy, o daughter zion

[ Today's Readings ]

Brothers and sisters:
Rejoice in the Lord always.

Always?

I shall say it again: rejoice!

Paul says it twice because he knows we have a hard time hearing it. Our joy is almost always dependent on our circumstances. If it isn't caused by them directly it is still subject to them. Our joy is a baseball game that is frequently rained out.

Perhaps our approach to joy is wrong. Perhaps we seek it in circumstances which cannot give it. Or if not, perhaps we seek to create it in ourselves. We experience joy only when we experience great circumstances or exulted feelings. We expect joy only when we are at the center of our perfect worlds. And yet, true joy is not found in exultation of self. It is found, rather, in humility before God.

“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

There is a level on which our hearts secretly believe that they can only find joy if they themselves are the Christ, perfectly able to regulate the circumstances of the world, or at least the circumstances of the heart. But John knows that joy is found, not in himself, but in the one who brings the Holy Spirit. 

This is why he is able to decrease so that Jesus may increase. This is why the friend of the bridegroom has joy to see the bridegroom come. If it were not so, it might be hard for John to recommend what seem to be such basic charity: alms-giving, not extorting, being satisfied. If his joy were in himself he would insist on novelty rather than practicality. This is just one way finding his joy in the bridegroom makes him solid. He need not fear being diminished in doing what is right. He trust in the one who prepares every good work for us in advance (cf. Ephesians 2:10).

We too can find our joy in him. When we do we are more fully empowered to do the good which God asks of us. In this season of waiting and watching and preparation we cannot forget that Jesus is indeed with us and that this is a cause for great joy. He is coming, yes. But he today we are called to celebrate the ways in which he is here.

the King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.
On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
he will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.

We are called to embrace the Holy Spirit which he pours out, to join in the song which he first sings over us!

Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!

12 December 2015 - guadalupe, no fiasco

[ Today's Readings ]

See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD.

And today we, with Elizabeth, celebrate Mary who brings him to us.

“Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.

Mary might seem to have better things to do than come to us. Being the mother of God might seem like all she can handle. After all, when Gabriel shows up to explain the situation she is afraid just like anyone else would. Perhaps after Gabriel comforts her she can manage the situation. But is there still enough room left in her heart for us? She says, "May it be done to me according to your word." But how can she have any room in her heart for anything else? And yet she does. In fact, it is almost as though she is more available than ever, more completely free to love as she is meant to love.

And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,

The angel is still there and Mary is practically already leaving to help her relative.

Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.

And she hasn't stopped coming to visit those in need. From Lourdes, to Fatima, to Guadalupe, which we celebrate this morning, she seeks out her children in need. She wants us to know that "the LORD of hosts has sent me to you" so that many nations can join themselves to the LORD. She herself is the holy dwelling of the LORD in which he stirs. She makes him present to us. So let us come before her in silence so that we might recognize the presence she brings to us, just as she brought that presence to Elizabeth, just as she brought it to Juan Diego.

It is for this reason that she is the highest honor of our race. Her deed of hope will never be forgotten because she continually makes present the fruit of that deed in history. Let us celebrate her this morning. Let us welcome her as she comes to us. Let us leap for joy at the presence of the LORD which she brings to us.

11 December 2015 - the dance

[ Today's Readings ]

‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance,

we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.’ 

God is providing us a soundtrack and calling us to dance accordingly. We need to listen to the music. We need to drink it in like a tree near a running river drinks in water.

We have a tendency to focus on the right things at the wrong times. We mourn when we ought to dance and dance when we ought to mourn. We fast when we ought to feast and feast when we ought to fast. We try to figure out when to do what by our own wisdom. But our own wisdom is not up to the task.

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said,

‘He is possessed by a demon.’ 

The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said,

‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,

We need God's wisdom. It is not a wisdom that we can contain in ourselves. God's wisdom is a music to which we must constantly be attentive. It is living and active. This is why it can speak to any circumstance. Our wisdom, such as it is, can't see the big picture. It is finite, static, and formulaic. It is not enough.

Blessed the man who follows not

the counsel of the wicked

Nor walks in the way of sinners,

nor sits in the company of the insolent,

But delights in the law of the LORD

and meditates on his law day and night.

God's law is not something we learn once and then simply practice. It is water which we must constantly drink. We cannot say, 'I've had a drink. It is good. I know what it tastes like and what it feels like. I don't need to drink anymore.' We must constantly drink from the stream of God's wisdom. It quenches thirst for all precisely because the supply is inexhaustible.

I, the LORD, your God,

teach you what is for your good,

and lead you on the way you should go.

If you would hearken to my commandments,

your prosperity would be like a river,

and your vindication like the waves of the sea;

We follow you LORD Jesus. Show us the light of life!

10 December 2015 - in the kingdom

[ Today's Readings ]

Amen, I say to you,
among those born of women
there has been none greater than John the Baptist;

John is the messenger. He is the one who prepares the way. But his greatness is a function of that toward which he points rather than something he himself possesses. This is why he is always insistent that he is not the one who is to come. He is the friend of the bridegroom and not the bridegroom himself. Fortunately, he finds his joy in the bridegroom. He is such a dramatic and impressive figure that it could be easy to think he is the one who is to come. Fortunately, he is happy to decrease so that Jesus may increase. 

yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he

This is no slight to John. John's greatness is precisely that he points us toward this kingdom and to kingdom's king. Because anything outside of the kingdom is not enough. We think of the most well-equipped self help and motivational speakers of our day. The resources they bring to the problem are not necessarily wrong. They are insufficient.

The afflicted and the needy seek water in vain,
their tongues are parched with thirst.

Outside of the kingdom we find desert. John just makes a point of it by situating his ministry in a literal desert. But everyone outside of the kingdom is thirsty.

Jesus said to her, Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again (cf. John. 4:13).

John doesn't want to distract us. He wants us to know where the water that satisfies can be found.

but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again (cf. John. 4:14).

Only in Jesus do we find life. All else, even the greatest of all else, is desert. It does not have what we need to survive for long, much less to thrive. But Jesus has more than enough.

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. (cf. John. 6:36).

And yet, the desert itself is not abandoned.

I will turn the desert into a marshland,
and the dry ground into springs of water.

All of those things in the world which is insufficient on their own becomes meaningful when Jesus brings his own life to them. As he walks through the desert it blooms where his feet touch, where his shadow touches, and where he smiles. All of those outside the kingdom, those who cannot give us life through their self-help or motivational speeches, suddenly have unique and profound contributions to make once the life of God blossoms within them.

That all may see and know,
observe and understand,
That the hand of the LORD has done this,
the Holy One of Israel has created it.

The LORD is good to all, and compassionate toward all his works. We insist on dwelling on the desert longer than we have to. But he is slow to anger. He is gracious and merciful. He patiently endures our stubbornness. He kindness calls us out. Let us come out from the desert. Let us come more fully into the kingdom.

Let them make known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.

9 December 2015 - he gives you wings (not red bull)

Why, O Jacob, do you say,
and declare, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD,
and my right is disregarded by my God”?

One of the reasons we have a hard time putting everything in God's hands is because it sometimes seems like he doesn't really understand what is going on in our lives. It seems like our ways and circumstances are disregarded by him or hidden from him. We think this way because our circumstances aren't what we want them to be. We don't live in the perfect worlds we envision. And because we think this way we have a hard time believing that God is for us and not against us, even though he tells us so.

We come to believe that God is preoccupied doing his God thing and doesn't have the time or the interest to care about our circumstances.

Do you not know
or have you not heard?
The LORD is the eternal God,
creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint nor grow weary,
and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny.

Isaiah tells us that the LORD is absolutely big enough to care. We can't impugn his motives or attribute to him indifference. OK, great, but if that is true, why are our circumstances still so flawed and imperfect. How can we live in this imperfect world and not blame God?

He gives strength to the fainting;
for the weak he makes vigor abound.
Though young men faint and grow weary,
and youths stagger and fall,
They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength,
they will soar as with eagles’ wings;
They will run and not grow weary,
walk and not grow faint.

Though he does not yet set the circumstances right he does do something which is even more important. He changes us so that we can rest in him even amidst these circumstances. He does not make the stones we have the lift lighter. He makes us stronger to lift them. He does not remove the craters from our paths. Instead he gives us wings to soar above them.

If he just fixed circumstances our own hearts would be left flawed and imperfect. But because he wants our hearts we must choose to embrace the rest he offers. He will not force it upon us.

Jesus said to the crowds:
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest. 

We find rest by choosing the yoke of Jesus rather than our own yoke. We cast all of our cares on him because he cares for us. We seek first his kingdom knowing that the rest (and the rest) will be taken care of. So let us come to Jesus and choose the rest he wants to give us.

Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits. 

8 December 2015 - all of the blessings

Open to me the gates of righteousness

[ Today's Readings ]

The man called his wife Eve,
because she became the mother of all the living.

Eve is meant to be the mother of all the living. But in fact, she becomes the mother of the dead when she and Adam eat the forbidden fruit. From then on we are "dead in our sins" (cf. Eph. 2:5). Nothing is right since then. Adam and Even realize they are naked. They can no longer exist without the fear of being used and exploited so they now need clothes. Sin breaks the relationship between humans and God, one another, and the world.

God does not leave us in this broken state. He does not leave us dead in our sins. It might seem like his plans have failed when Adam and Evil fall into sin. But his plan is deeper than this apparent failure. He "accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will" so that even a world once dead in sin "might exist for the praise of his glory". To this end he blesses us "in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens". He doesn't just bless us with some of the blessings. He blesses us with all of them. He transforms us from death to life. He makes us "holy and without blemish before him."

Is it entirely unreasonable to believe that Mary would receive this grace in a special way so that she could fulfill her unique role in God's plan?

“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”

The grace she receives is ultimately the same as the grace we receive: holiness. The source of the grace is ultimately the same: the saving merits of Jesus Christ. Only the manner in which she receives it is unique. And it is unique precisely so that she can be a blessing to others. It is necessary for her to have this grace in order to be sufficiently available and free to give God her fiat, her yes. This grace is necessary for her to have room in her heart (and therefore her body) for Jesus. And because she does receive this grace she is able to be the mother of all of the living. This is God's plan from the beginning. We need a mother. We see how desperate we become when our first parents sin and fall. Now we can truly appreciate the gift of our Immaculate Mother.

Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.

The Immaculate Conception is the dawn of mercy for the world. What better day to inaugurate the year of mercy? If we are tempted to write this off as a nice pious thing let us remember how much mercy matters. Let us remember that without it we are dead in sin, cut off from God and one another. Let us celebrate that we are not without God, and not without the mother he gives us.

7 December 2015 - deserting the desert

[ Today's Readings ]

The desert and the parched land will exult;
the steppe will rejoice and bloom.
They will bloom with abundant flowers,
and rejoice with joyful song.

How long have we been living in a desert? A desert is so dry and arid that life struggles to survive. Just to exist is all the most can manage. Isn't it wonderful that this desert will bloom? God promises it will. This promise should allow us to "Strengthen the hands that are feeble" and to "make firm the knees that are weak". Fear for survival gives ways to longing for the coming of our God. 

Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
With divine recompense
he comes to save you.

Divine recompense is worth infinitely more than the suffering and hardships that precede it. The natural absence of life gives way to a supernatural abundance. Suffering gives way to healing.

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
Then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.

This is what the men that brought their friend on a stretcher for healing know. They are willing to be awkward, to sacrifice, and to make hard choices. Their feeble hands are strengthened and their weak knees are made firm because they see Jesus and sense Isaiah saying, "Here is your God". They see Jesus and realize that "the power of the Lord was with him for healing." If we can realize the same things then nothing can keep us from Jesus. We hear the psalmist say, "Our God will come to save us!" and we rise to meet him. Jesus himself will clear the obstacles that prevent us from following him.

A highway will be there,
called the holy way;
No one unclean may pass over it,
nor fools go astray on it.
No lion will be there,
nor beast of prey go up to be met upon it.
It is for those with a journey to make,
and on it the redeemed will walk.

We need to believe that Jesus can save us. We need to believe he wants to. We need to believe it because the temptation is to sit wounded and thirsty in the lives we've created for ourselves. We are free to ignore Jesus if we aren't really interested. We need, rather, to be as interested as the crippled man's friends. We need to be just as motivated to get our hearts and the hearts of our loved ones before him as that man's friends. If we want him, Jesus will make sure, we get him and receive all that he has for us. Come on then. We've been in the desert too long. 

Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return
and enter Zion singing,
crowned with everlasting joy;
They will meet with joy and gladness,
sorrow and mourning will flee.