Reflections on Scripture | Tuesday of the 1st Week of Advent
Join Msgr. Don Fischer as he reads and delivers a short reflection on today’s gospel, followed by 3 1/2 minutes of contemplative music and a closing prayer. Msgr. Don hopes that today’s reflection on the gospel will empower you to carry the Word in your heart throughout the day.
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Gospel
Luke 10:21-24
Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
"I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."
Turning to the disciples in private he said,
"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."
Reflection
The image of the childlike being able to receive the message of Jesus is so powerful when you understand it. It means that you have a faith that is not worried about what you've thought before. It is wide open to whatever is being presented. The beautiful thing of children is they have nothing to get rid of in order to take something on as a new idea.
They are receptive, open, interested, not needing proof. Just the idea itself moves a child to believe in things that many adults resist. It's a great gift. We must work on being childlike and radically receptive to everything that Jesus teaches.
Closing Prayer
Father, we struggle with new ideas, new ways of seeing. We are caught so often in what we've learned in the past or how we've been trained to see things. Free us from all of that and give us childlike enthusiasm and imagination. These are the gifts we need to know the father and to know the son. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.