Within God’s reach this Advent
We can readily picture Michelangelo's Creation of Man painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel where God is reaching out to touch Adam’s [our] outstretched hand.
A priest in St Joseph’s Parish in Syracuse, New York, started a forty-hour devotion to dedicate a statuette of the Infant Jesus of Prague. Two altar boys became fidgety. A devote lady intervened. She whispered to one, “My child, pay attention. Don't you see the little Jesus in front of you, who's watching you?”
The boy then looked up at the monstrance and exclaimed, “Oh, the Child Jesus!” At that moment they all discovered the Infant Jesus of Prague in the host exposed in the monstrance, with his crown, his cloak, and his fingers raised to bless the world. The vision was surrounded by “rays of light.” Jesus smiled at them.
Everyone in the church observed the apparition. Crowds from outside came in to view the event. A few hours later as the rosary was being recited, the Child Jesus slowly disappeared. The spiritual fruits of this miracle are well known to the people of the diocese.
What a marvelous approach the devote lady took to bring the boys to a suitable behaviour for worship. The temptation might have been to tweak their ears or reprimand them. A simple invitation to pay attention to the Child Jesus turned this into a blessing for the altar boys as well as crowds of others.
God still holds out his hand towards the world in blessing. Psalm 144:7 says, “Stretch forth Your hand from on high; Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters.” And in Exodus 7:5 we hear, “The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst.”
God willingly God puts forth his hand to bless us. Recently I found myself stretching out my hand to God in a moment of faith. During the day we need to reach out often to God in faith and trust. He will not forsake us. How many times a day do we need to say, “Thank you God?”
Like the two altar boys we are often distracted and poor recipients of grace and blessings, “…while You (God) extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus” (Acts 4:30.)
Jesus came to save us. Pope Benedict XVI said, God desired to save us by going to this abyss [of sin]…so that every person, even those who have fallen so low that they no longer perceive Heaven, may find God’s hand to cling to and rise from the darkness.
Since our baptism Jesus has been reaching out his hand to bring us into the radiance of his light. Sin, weakness and worry cause us to struggle, but Jesus is still with us. Our names are written in the book of life.
By the cross and resurrection of Jesus we have been raised to new life. We are bought and paid for. “So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir” (Galatians 4:7).
Have no fear this Advent. God is reaching out to us: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1).
(573 words)
