Fulfill

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Fulfill

The   Promise

Teach   Increase   Abound

The Lord Our Justice

Vigilant

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures:   Jeremiah 33:14 and 16

The Lord says that the days are coming when I will fulfill the promise that I made to Judah and Israel. The lands will be secure and peoples will call her: "The Lord our justice."

Luke 21:36

Jesus said, "Be vigilant always and pray that you abound in strength to escape any difficulties that are imminent and stand in front of the Son of Man."

Reflection

What a great feeling when someone fulfills a promise! I recently had the joy of celebrating our 55th Wedding Anniversary with my wife, Kathy. The promise that she made to me was fulfilled beyond my greatest expectations.

Advent is a time to reflect on the promises that God has made to us and the promises that we want to make to others in our community. God teaches us through the promises that have been made in the past and the promises that God continues to make every day of our lives. 

God promises security and justice according to the prophet Jeremiah. It seems, however, that we live in an insecure world that is lacking justice in many respects. How has that promise been fulfilled?

Jesus explains in our reading from Luke that the promise is fulfilled when we are vigilant and pray. Vigilance is important so that we keep our eyes open to prevent those who would threaten the security of others and take advantage of others to exploit them and to attack their dignity.

Crucial to this vigilance is our prayer so that we can seek the strength of Jesus and obtain the wisdom and the practical strategies to fight for justice.

The promise has been fulfilled. Jesus has come and will be with us as we reach out to those who are overlooked and ignored. 

There are those who seek their own advantage at the expense of others: employers who do not pay a fair wage or who refuse to pay overtime to their employees; banks and real estate agents who discriminate against those of a different race or creed; businesses that do not pay equal wages to men and women for the same work.

Jesus points us in the direction of justice. The promise has been made.

Will we be vigilant in making sure that it is fulfilled?

1. How do you feel when someone fulfills a promise that has been made to you?

2. What promises have you fulfilled lately?

3. Are there some areas of injustice that particularly upset you?

4. Why is vigilance so important for keeping promises?

5. How important is prayer in your life as you strive to establish more justice in the world?

6. What do you feel as you reflect on Kathy's photo?

(Scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)