I’m still reeling with excitement over today’s activations, speed-prophesying for one another. I saw first hand how easily one might fall into a performance based mentality instead of trusting fully in our relationship with our loving merciful Father who desires progress not perfection.
The whole learning process was encouraging, affirming and edyfying! While I’m quite sure it would have been daunting for anyone to have two priests to prophesy over I felt it was a real privilege an honour. First Fr Ken Barker founder of Missionaries of God’s Love and later Fr Chris Eaton both affirmed that what I had shared resonated with them. I also had the opportunity to prophesy over two ladies, one said it fully resonated with her while the other from the same order MGL said she needed more time to discern what was shared.
I was edified by all the prophesies for me. But two really stood out, one about God our Father wanting to have fun with me, like Father and son playing cards. The other was about ministering out of God our Father’s abundance. When I think that’s it there is always more. After she said it I felt an outpouring of grace. More Lord… More. Amen
Kingdom Come: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Second Sunday in Advent
Readings:
Isaiah 11:1–10
Psalm 72:1–2, 7–8, 12–13, 17
Romans 15:4–9
Matthew 3:1–12
“The kingdom of heaven is at hand,” John proclaims. And the Liturgy today paints us a vivid portrait of our new king and the shape of the kingdom He has come to bring.
The Lord whom John prepares the way for in today’s Gospel is the righteous king prophesied in today’s First Reading and Psalm. He is the king’s son, the son of David—a shoot from the root of Jesse, David’s father (see Ruth 4:17).
He will be the Messiah, anointed with the Holy Spirit (see 2 Samuel 23:1; 1 Kings 1:39; Psalm 2:2), endowed with the seven gifts of the Spirit—wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord.
He will rule with justice, saving the poor from the ruthless and wicked. His rule will be not only over Israel—but will extend from sea to sea, to the ends of the earth. He will be a light, a signal to all nations. And they will seek Him and pay Him homage.
In Him, all the tribes of the earth will find blessing. The covenant promise to Abraham (see Genesis 12:3), renewed in God’s oath to David (see Psalm 89:4,28), will be fulfilled in His dynasty. And His name will be blessed forever.
In Christ, God confirms His oath to Israel’s patriarchs, Paul tells us in today’s Epistle. But no longer are God’s promises reserved solely for the children of Abraham. The Gentiles, too, will glorify God for His mercy. Once strangers, in Christ they will be included in “the covenants of promise” (see Ephesians 2:12).
John delivers this same message in the Gospel. Once God’s chosen people were hewn from the rock of Abraham (see Isaiah 51:1–2). Now, God will raise up living stones (see 1 Peter 2:5)—children of Abraham born not of flesh and blood but of the Spirit.
This is the meaning of the fiery baptism He brings—making us royal heirs of the kingdom of heaven, the Church.
Today as we move towards the second week of Advent let us reflect and put into action our resolve to live as disciples of our Lord.
There are many sheep without a shepherd crying out in distress, do we hear them with God our Father’s heart?
Or are we still concerned with our worldly affairs, constantly fighting our inner demons of habitual sin and making no headway! Why? Because in our struggle against sin we have not yet resisted to the point of shedding our blood. (Hebrews 12:4) For had we done so and turned our hearts fully to our Lord, then we will already be living fully in His light!
We would already be out there proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. We would be healing the sick, even raising the dead, and casting out devils in Jesus’s name.
Anoint me Lord and send me! I am Yours. Amen
Saint Francis Xavier Pray for us…
________
First reading
Isaiah 30:19-21,23-26 ·
The Lord God will be gracious to you and hear your cry
Thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:
People of Zion, you will live in Jerusalem and weep no more. He will be gracious to you when he hears your cry; when he hears he will answer. When the Lord has given you the bread of suffering and the water of distress, he who is your teacher will hide no longer, and you will see your teacher with your own eyes. Whether you turn to right or left, your ears will hear these words behind you, ‘This is the way, follow it.’ He will send rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the bread that the ground provides will be rich and nourishing. Your cattle will graze, that day, in wide pastures. Oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat a salted fodder, winnowed with shovel and fork. On every lofty mountain, on every high hill there will be streams and watercourses, on the day of the great slaughter when the strongholds fall. Then moonlight will be bright as sunlight and sunlight itself be seven times brighter – like the light of seven days in one – on the day the Lord dresses the wound of his people and heals the bruises his blows have left.
________
Gospel
Matthew 9:35-10:1,5,6-8
The harvest is rich but the labourers are few
Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness.
And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’
He summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows: ‘Go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.’
CatholicJules.net 