It’s no secret what God can do

From the desk of Fr. Ignatius Waters CP

Sunday 11th December 2016

I know from experience that I shouldn’t look at the Christmas TV ads. But somehow they grab your attention they’re so attractive and appealing. They play on your heart strings: lovely songs about home and ‘going home’ with scenes of warmth and family gatherings.  And in no time I’m drowning in nostalgia and I want to go home too; I want to be part of all this! Then the whole thing is ruined when it ends up signed by Tesco or Lidl, Spar or Supervalu. What has it to do with them? What have all those lovely scenes and songs to do with Tesco or Aldi?  Everything, it seems. Because if you were to believe them, Christmas is all about eating and drinking, so it’s also all about these big stores. I end up feeling seduced and betrayed in the same few minutes. And foolish too because it’s not the first time this had happened. I should have known better!

And it’s not just Christmas. We’re bombarded all the time by clever advertising persuading us where we’ll find the best deals and the best bargains. I don’t know why they need special feasts like Black Friday and Cyber Monday when the same persuasive tactics are being used on us all the time. At Halloween, at Christmas, then we’re expected to get excited about Valentine’s Day and that’s only an aperitif for Easter – all Christian feasts, you notice, but high jacked to keep business buzzing. At this dark time of year, you can feel mugged and laid low by it all, especially when you feel it has little to do with Jesus or his birth or his message. It’s so easy to end up doubting all promises of better times to come be they from God or man. Remember Isaiah promised that, with coming of the Messiah, swords would be beaten into ploughs and spears into pruning hooks and there would be no more training for war. Not much sign of that yet, is there? After all the centuries?

And, in today’s gospel, John the Baptist who pointed out Jesus as the promised one, now in the darkness and confinement of his prison cell, seems to be in doubt about him, “Are you the one who was to come or shall we look for another?” Or it could be that his disciples were beginning to doubt and John wisely sends them to Jesus with all their doubts and questions: “Go and see what Jesus is doing.” And Jesus’ answer comes back, “Don’t tell John what I am saying; tell him what I am doing. Don’t tell him what I’m claiming; tell him what is actually happening.” We too need to see and experience the difference Jesus makes in our lives. We need to plan quiet time this Advent when we can gaze on him and let his light shine on us.  Remember this old song: “It is no secret, what God can do/What He’s done for others, He’ll do for you/ With arms wide open, He’ll pardon you/ It is no secret, what God can do. There is no night for in His light, you’ll always feel at home.”

             It’s not a carol but that’s the kind of ‘feeling at home’ we long for!