Planted by the Flowing Waters (Friday, Advent 2)

-

 

Introduction

We are still waiting and preparing for the appearance of the Holy One of Israel who would be our teacher and guide. If we listen to Him and follow His ways, we shall prosper; we shall know peace and we shall have life and light.


Reflection

Psalm 1 says something that is worth reflecting upon: “Blessed indeed is the person who follows not the counsel of the wicked but whose delight is the law of the Lord”. Why is such a person blessed? Because “he or she is like a tree that is planted beside the flowing waters, that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade; and all that he or she does shall prosper.” But such a tree will not be spared of the harsh weather conditions (scorching rays of the sun, the dry harmattan wind, etc) and even the unintended human and animal activities. Considering all these inclement and unpleasant conditions that the tree may be subjected to, can we still say that such tree is blessed? Yes, it is blessed inasmuch as it remains fixed to the earth beside the flowing waters. Insofar as it is deeply rooted in the ground, it will continue to enjoy life and peace no matter what goes on around it. 

A Christian is like such tree planted beside the flowing waters. A true Christian is blessed because he or she is rooted in Christ. Such a person will be more deeply rooted in Christ if he develops the habit of listening to and abiding by His commands; and finding delight in His words. Isaiah further describes the Messiah as the “the Holy One who teaches us to profit, who leads us in the way we should go” (Isa. 48:17). If we follow Him our teacher and guide, we will have the light of life just like a tree planted beside the flowing waters.  

A tree planted beside the flowing waters is lush with leaves that do not fade, producing fruits in due season. But such a tree won’t be spared of stones, cuts and animal attacks because of what it has/carries (it has green leaves and nice-looking fruits). Those who are deeply rooted in God have something in them that makes them susceptible to attacks, destructive criticisms and persecution from people. They will not always please everyone because they always seek to please God. John the Baptist and Jesus were examples of such people (cf. Matt. 11:16-19). John and Jesus sought to please God rather than people; and for this, they were hated by many. John came not eating and drinking; and they tagged a demon. Jesus came eating and drinking and they called Him a glutton, a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and prostitutes. It will not be different for us, the followers of Jesus. We should also be ready for attacks. Just like the tree planted by the flowing waters, we will never be deprived of life, light and inner peace no matter how extreme and severe the attacks may be. Because we are rooted in Christ!     



 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Gifts versus the Giver (Monday, Week 20, Year II)

-
Image
A gift, by the virtue of what it is, is given. In other words, there must be a giver. Gift can come or be in the form of a good friendship or relationship, material thing, good job, personal talent, and so on. Every cherished gift is the delight of our eyes, the pride of our power and the desire of our souls. The gifts that we possess should then remind us of the giver. It smacks of arrogance and ingratitude when gifts are used without acknowledging or making reference to the giver. For the Jews, the Temple or Sanctuary was the delight of their eyes, the pride of their power and the desire of their souls. It was a precious gift which they jealously guarded. However, they adorned the Sanctuary but did not truly adore the One for whom the Sanctuary exists. They were too attached to the “gift” (sanctuary) but were completely detached from the Giver of the gift – from Yahweh. Ezekiel prophesied to them that this sanctuary which was their delight will be profaned and taken away from them. M
Read more

Persecution and Triumph, the Two Realities of Christian life (Saturday, Week 33, Year 2, The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

-
Image
The book of Revelation is full of symbols and imageries that need to be carefully interpreted for us to understand the message they communicate. In today’s first reading (cf. Rev. 11:4-12), John was told about two olive trees and two lamp stands serving as witnesses to the Holy One. Who or what do these two sets of witnesses (olive trees and lamp stand) stand for? When we read further in order to understand what happened to these two witnesses, it may be a bit clear to us that the “two witnesses” may be pointing to Moses and Elijah, judging from what they did on earth and what they stand for. Moses stands for the Law; and Elijah stands for the Prophet. Anyone who bears witness as Moses bore witness to the Law of God must be persecuted by the beast as the first reading (from the Book of Revelation) recounted. Anyone who bears witness to the messages of truth as Elijah and other prophets did must be persecuted just as the prophets were persecuted. Persecution is a fate that awaits every
Read more

Enkindle the Embers of Unity, Quench the Fire of Disunity (Wednesday, Week 22, Year A)

-
Image
For some time now, we have heard Paul talk about the spiritual and the unspiritual: what it means to live and operate on the level of the Spirit (the spiritual) and on the level of the flesh (the unspiritual). Paul was very emphatic about this topic possibly because he was addressing a group of people who were too intellectual and academic in their approach to the things of God and all of that. Remember that the Corinthians were Greek; and the ancient Greeks were known to be too particular and more interested in intellectualism, sophistry, philosophy and human wisdom. And we must not forget that Paul has been very suspicious of over-reliance on worldly/human wisdom in understanding and appreciating the things of the Spirit. To rely more on human/worldly wisdom is a sign that one may be operating on the level of the flesh; and to operate on the level of the flesh breeds a whole lot of vices such as division or sectionalism, hedonism, and so on. In today’s section of that letter to the C
Read more