Fr. Francis OYETUNJI

To be human is to carry expectations, shaped by hope, memory, and desire. But many expectations especially when they are not properly managed or their fulfilment do not match with what one hoped that it would be, what it brings is distress. The precursor of our Lord Jesus Christ was not exempt from nursing an expectation in his mind concerning the way the Messiah should come and what he should do in bringing about salvation. He was however disturbed by the way Jesus was going about the work of salvation he was sent by the Father to do.

One major problem we human being have in our relationship with God even with the exercise of our faith is that we usually design in our mind the way we want God to attend to our desires and expectations. One favour we can do ourselves to align our expectations to God’s way of doing things is by constantly reminding ourselves that God’s ways are not our way neither are his thoughts ours(Isaiah 55:8 – 9).  We help ourselves by reminding ourselves of the song which says:

“Have your, Lord (2ce)

Do it when you wanna do it Lord,

You know better than me,

You see better than me,

I won’t question you O Lord

Have your way Lord.

The one we wait for comes to us every day in different ways but in a special way under the appearances of bread and wine. This is the part of the liturgy that many Catholics do not pay enough attention to. Instead of asking him to help strengthen our trust in him while we keep our gaze on him with our hearts connected to his for us to hear what he has to tell us just in the same way he answered the question that John the Baptist did not ask directly by himself, what we do is to be raining a lot of desires and expectations before him like people who do not know the exact thing they are in need of (this for those who pray at this part of Mass). Some persons might even be praying that God should make them to experience an extraordinary Eucharistic miracle so that they could have a proof to tell of the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

What the liturgy of this Sunday in this season of advent offers us is to keep our eyes on Jesus, relying on Him from the beginning of our spiritual journey to its completion, trusting that He guides and perfects their faith along the way. (Hebrew 12:2).  The Messiah whom the Old Testament people were waiting for was already with them saving them in his own way.  He only came from heaven to earth at the appointed time according to his design to show the way, wash away our sins and to give us the Eucharist (the only action that attends to all our expectations) as his new way of being with us. The answer to our daily advent season is the Eucharist which says to us

Be still and know that I am the Lord (3ce)

I am the Lord that heals you (3ce)