A reflection on the daily readings, for Thursday of the First Week of Advent, by Father Perry.
Open up the gates to the great city and let the just come in!
Open to those who keep faith, and as a nation they have a firm purpose.
Let them not be lofty and arrogant but humble and true. Similarly, seek the Lord always. For the same is true. If you want to get into the kingdom, it is not enough just to say “Lord, Lord.”
Just like a house built on rock, we must build our house or our life on God who is the rock of ages; he is the rock that is forever — the rock, the gates, the entrance; our hope, our blessing.
And we should bear his name, carry his name, and be identified by his name.
And we should, as the psalm says, “Come in the name of the Lord.”
For in that, we will find ourselves blessed.
+ There is some commonality to this word of God today. There is much said about entering.
Imagine a party of enormous dimensions. Imagine music never heard before. Imagine the smells of food so delicious that the mouth starts watering, then stops watering, then starts watering again.
And the elegance one catches a glimpse of when the door opens and one steals a peek.
Imagine even hearing a voice calling us: “Come in. Come in. You are welcome.”
And so the choice is ours. Do we go in and enjoy the party? Or do we delay, wait, fear, fail to see that a real response is demanded on our part?
Advent is calling us to meet Christ and to enter the life that is his and is offered to us.
And not only are we invited to enter into him, we invite him to enter into us.
“Come, Lord Jesus!”
+ This is what we call spiritual intimacy, and it gives life and it is life!
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call him while he is near.”
Father Perry D. Leiker is the 13th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.
