How do we become people of discernment

 Joseph shows us the importance of listening to the voice of God. He was a man of honour who sought to live in accord with his Jewish upbringing and in relationship with his betrothed, Mary. The Annunciation and Mary's yes to the angel raised questions in his mind and heart. The central question seems to be how he could be faithful to both God and Mary. This would have caused him some sleepless nights about how to show his love for both without being untrue to what he knew to be right. 

This is where Joseph is a person who can pray with us when we face difficult choices. In the midst of his dilemma, he opened his heart to God and, in a dream, was prompted to be faithful to God by taking Mary home as his wife. This is at the heart of our prayer whenever we feel fearful. God works with us so that our prayer guides us to reflect on what is the next obvious step.

As we approach Christmas, we may have many things on our minds and hearts. There is hope that all things will turn out for the good and that we will have a peaceful time. May any of our sleepless nights be calmed by God, who shows us the way to be faithful in our daily lives. 

Do not lose heart

 There can be impatience that builds into our activity, making us want Christmas to happen too quickly. Yet this is a time when we can take even a few moments each day to notice how the regular events of the day can refresh and renew us. This waiting helps us treasure the moment we are in and the way God speaks to our hearts. 

How do we translate the messages that we hear every day? There can be an emphasis on bad news and how people can be so allured by money, power and success. Yet John the Baptist seeks to discover whether Jesus is the one we are waiting for. Jesus answers that the blind see, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, lepers are cleansed, the lame walk and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor. This is what we hope for: that God will meet us in our most profound need. 

As we approach Christmas, may we return to the source of all life and accompany each other along the way. May we hear the words, Courage, be not afraid. That we discover the joy that is not counterfeit but restores the soul to life. 

How do we judge things with integrity?

 There can be an urgency in modern culture to have an opinion about everything. This calls us to make instant judgment based on limited information and marginal engagement with the people involved. Yet into this situation, Isaiah shows us how the Spirit of God is called to rest upon us. A spirit of wisdom and insight, a spirit of counsel and power, a spirit of knowledge and awe. This calls us to be people who seek justice with an integrity of heart that sees the person first and does not seek to make premature presumptions based on what others may say.

St Paul develops this theme when he says that we need to follow the example of Christ in giving glory to God with our lives. This is reflected in how we treat each other in the same friendly way that Christ treats us. This calls us to become people who seek to follow God in all things without making anything into God. John the Baptist wants to discover that the Kingdom of God is close at hand, inviting us to make our paths straight. 

There, in the midst of car parks that are full to overflowing, we are called to become people who witness to the glory of God. The kind word, the consideration for people overwhelmed by the simple act of shopping, the person who needs to reverse out of a parking space into a line of traffic. There are numerous ways in which we can show this maturity of presence by seeking what is for the good of the person. We build a kingdom not made of stone but one that abides in the person of Jesus Christ.