What Sabbath preparations are you willing to do to dispose yourself for “He who is to come”? - Daily Reflections December 18,2014

HE IS THE ONE

 

Ask any Mass-going Filipino Catholic to recite the Creed and I’m sure he will immediately rattle off, “ I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth….” This is the version called the “Apostle’s Creed.” There is a longer and more detailed version called the “Nicene Creed,” which we Filipinos are not so familiar with as we don’t often use it in the liturgy. It begins with the simple line, “We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth...” One basic difference between the two versions of the first line of the Creed is that simple word: “one.”

       For centuries it has been prophesied that a Messiah will come to bring liberation to Israel. Jeremiah, in the First Reading, prophesies: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David.” What kind of Messiah and what kind of liberation He will bring was not easily apparent in the prophecies. In the Gospel, the veil of uncertainty has been lifted. Mary was now with child through the power of the Holy Spirit and He shall be named Jesus. And Matthew added with certainty: “All these happened to fulfill what the Lord has said through the prophet…”

       Jesus is the One, and not just one god among many. He alone is God and there is no other. When we say, “We believe in one God,” we are actually professing a willingness to rid ourselves of the other gods we enshrine in our hearts, whether we know it or not.

       At this time of the year, I usually take some days of self-imposed retreat before the start of the Christmas season and the nine-day Simbang Gabi. I do not necessarily go off to a secluded place and be by myself but I do put off and put out anything that I feel clamors for my attention unnecessarily. In these sabbath days, I root out the gods of TV, Internet, social media and the cell phone. In their place, I put more time for silence and reflection.

       Amidst the glitter and clutter of the yuletide celebrations, it is easy to get excited and look forward for something else. In this season, tell the Lord from the bottom of your heart, “Ikaw na!” Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: What Sabbath preparations are you willing to do to dispose yourself for “He who is to come”?

 

With a special consciousness on the word “one”, pray this in mantra fashion: “I believe in one God.”