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The coming of God at Adven

First Sunday of Advent (B), Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7 (Lectionary 002, Nov. 27, 2005)

Advent is about the coming of God, the coming of God in the birth of Jesus, the coming of God in the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, the coming of God in the glory of Christ at the end of time.

During these four weeks, the Old Testament readings are selections about the Messiah and the Messianic age. The term "Messiah" means "anointed," and originally it was used of the anointed king of God’s people, specifically of David and his descendants. The king was appointed by divine command, a person of special holiness, an adopted son of God. His person was sacrosanct. He was divinely protected. He was a unique instrument of God’s justice on earth.

As the years went by, a gap became apparent between the ideals of this Davidic sonship and the concrete reality of the kings of Israel and Judah. And so these royal and religious prerogatives began to be applied to a hoped-for future king whose reign would be characterized by everlasting justice, security and peace. At the heart of the expectation of a Messiah is the idea that God intervenes in history to deliver His people from suffering and injustice. Christians see the fulfillment of this expectation in Jesus of Nazareth.

Our messianic reading for this first Sunday of Advent is from the third part of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. This part of Isaiah (chapters 55-66) preserves the messages of one or more prophets of the religious tradition of the eighth century Isaiah which were directed to the people of Judea after their return from exile in the last half of the sixth century B.C.

Our lectionary reading is a selection of verses rather than a continuous passage, but all the verses come from a single heart-rending psalm of entreaty and lament. The returned exiles face a ruined city and a temple that has been destroyed. They voice this plea for God’s intervention on their behalf. It is a prayer for a time of desperation, an anguished cry for the coming of the messianic age that God had promised.

The text the lectionary gives us begins with the acknowledgment of God’s care for His people: "You are our father and redeemer."

Next comes a petition: "Return. Come back to us like thunder booming out of the clouds with power that shakes the mountains." Then a confession of the people’s sinfulness: "You have done wondrous deeds in the past for us, but now we are sinful. Our guilt has made us worthless in your sight." Finally, an appeal for God’s intervention: "But you are still our father and you can make of us whatever you wish."

"We need you, God! We need your intervention to make something worthwhile out of this sinful people!" That’s what the Israelites said as they struggled to find a life for themselves in their ruined homeland. That’s the prayer that the church invites us to make our own as we begin a new liturgical year.

One of the most dangerous elements of the moral infection, the spiritual disability that we human beings have inherited is a sense of self-sufficiency. We like to think that we can do things for ourselves. If we just get the right breaks we can bring meaning and fulfillment to our lives. If we are holy enough and virtuous enough and religious enough, God will have to recognize our worth and confer on us the happiness we deserve.

Wrong! For one thing, we are totally dependant on God. Our life, our faith, our talents, the support we receive from the people around us: it’s all God’s gift. It is all God’s doing. We are the clay and God is the potter. We can no more direct our lives for ourselves than a lump of clay can decide what shape it is to assume.

Then there is our own personal sinfulness. We have all misused the gifts that God has given us. We have taken for ourselves what God intended us to use for others. Even what seems like a virtuous achievement is often defiled by selfish motives. "All our good deeds are like polluted rags . . . Our guilt carries us away like the wind."
We need God’s intervention to deliver us from our sorry state. We need a Messiah to bring us into harmony with God’s will, with God’s benevolence. The Messiah will indeed come at the end of time, but we also need the Messiah for our survival now.

For reflection and discussion

Where do I experience a need for God in my life?

What evidence do I see in my daily life of the Messiah’s presence and work?



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	*Overtures* Reflection on the first readings of the Sunday liturgy By Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk The coming of God at Adven First Sunday of Advent (B), Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7 (Lectionary 002, Nov. 27, 2005) Advent is about the coming of God, the coming of God in the birth of Jesus, the coming of God in the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, the coming of God in the glory of Christ at the end of time. During these four weeks, the Old Testament readings are selections about the Messiah and the Messianic age. The term "Messiah" means "anointed," and originally it was used of the anointed king of God’s people, specifically of David and his descendants. The king was appointed by divine command, a person of special holiness, an adopted son of God. His person was sacrosanct. He was divinely protected. He was a unique instrument of God’s justice on earth. As the years went by, a gap became apparent between the ideals of this Davidic sonship and the concrete reality of the kings of Israel and Judah. And so these royal and religious prerogatives began to be applied to a hoped-for future king whose reign would be characterized by everlasting justice, security and peace. At the heart of the expectation of a Messiah is the idea that God intervenes in history to deliver His people from suffering and injustice. Christians see the fulfillment of this expectation in Jesus of Nazareth. Our messianic reading for this first Sunday of Advent is from the third part of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. This part of Isaiah (chapters 55-66) preserves the messages of one or more prophets of the religious tradition of the eighth century Isaiah which were directed to the people of Judea after their return from exile in the last half of the sixth century B.C. Our lectionary reading is a selection of verses rather than a continuous passage, but all the verses come from a single heart-rending psalm of entreaty and lament. The returned exiles face a ruined city and a temple that has been destroyed. They voice this plea for God’s intervention on their behalf. It is a prayer for a time of desperation, an anguished cry for the coming of the messianic age that God had promised. The text the lectionary gives us begins with the acknowledgment of God’s care for His people: "You are our father and redeemer." Next comes a petition: "Return. Come back to us like thunder booming out of the clouds with power that shakes the mountains." Then a confession of the people’s sinfulness: "You have done wondrous deeds in the past for us, but now we are sinful. Our guilt has made us worthless in your sight." Finally, an appeal for God’s intervention: "But you are still our father and you can make of us whatever you wish." "We need you, God! We need your intervention to make something worthwhile out of this sinful people!" That’s what the Israelites said as they struggled to find a life for themselves in their ruined homeland. That’s the prayer that the church invites us to make our own as we begin a new liturgical year. One of the most dangerous elements of the moral infection, the spiritual disability that we human beings have inherited is a sense of self-sufficiency. We like to think that we can do things for ourselves. If we just get the right breaks we can bring meaning and fulfillment to our lives. If we are holy enough and virtuous enough and religious enough, God will have to recognize our worth and confer on us the happiness we deserve. Wrong! For one thing, we are totally dependant on God. Our life, our faith, our talents, the support we receive from the people around us: it’s all God’s gift. It is all God’s doing. We are the clay and God is the potter. We can no more direct our lives for ourselves than a lump of clay can decide what shape it is to assume. Then there is our own personal sinfulness. We have all misused the gifts that God has given us. We have taken for ourselves what God intended us to use for others. Even what seems like a virtuous achievement is often defiled by selfish motives. "All our good deeds are like polluted rags . . . Our guilt carries us away like the wind." We need God’s intervention to deliver us from our sorry state. We need a Messiah to bring us into harmony with God’s will, with God’s benevolence. The Messiah will indeed come at the end of time, but we also need the Messiah for our survival now. For reflection and discussion** Where do I experience a need for God in my life? What evidence do I see in my daily life of the Messiah’s presence and work?

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