John the Baptist sends his disciples to Jesus to ask the question: “Are you He is to come, or do we look for another?”  This is a critical question whose answer effects our entire destiny.  It is a timeless question, a contemporary question and an ultimate question.

Today, we are asking our Lord: “Are you the expected one, who gives meaning to our lives?”

During Advent we wait expectantly for the coming of Christ at Christmas.  We wait expectantly because we are aware of our poverty and emptiness.  At times our eyes are blind when we fail to see the opportunities we have in our present situation.  Our ears are deaf when we do not listen to God’s word or the cry of the poor.  Our hands are feeble and our knees weak when we lack courage to meet our commitments.  Sometimes we become lame and a burden on society when we can carry our own load and don’t.  We become dumb when we can protest against injustice and don’t.

However, we must not allow our weaknesses and failures to discourage us.  Rather, they should make us desire Christ’s coming all the more.  This is the message our Church teaches each of us.   In the first reading we are reminded that things are going bad, but we will see the glory of God.  Therefore we need to be strong and fear not.  Our gospel reminds us of the many miracles which come through Jesus Christ.

In other words, we do not have to stay the way we are—weak, blind or crippled.  Our Savior is coming at Christmas to bring us strength, light and healing.  Jesus is the one who is to come and he is our way, our truth and our life.

Once we have experienced His presence, and power in our lives, we are sent to share these with others.  Jesus calls us to go back to our homes and neighborhoods and place of work and tell what we have seen and heard.

God Bless,

Msgr. Powell