A reading from the book of the prophet, Isaiah (35:1-4, 10)
1The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus 2 it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and shouting. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God
3 Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees.4 Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.”
10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
The word of the Lord
EXAMINATION OF CHRISTIAN LIVING DURING ADVENT
(This examination of conscience is based on Isaiah 35:1-4, 10, and was used at our recent Advent Service of Reconciliation.)
Isaiah says:/ “The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom;/ like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing…”///
Here, the prophet speaks of a time when what is shriveled and bleak and barren will be brought to life. He speaks of a better time, a time that will be brought about by the power and love of Christ, the coming Messiah/… Am I a hopeful person? Do I believe that the world can be made better? Do I try to improve my part of the world; my home and family, my community?//
Isaiah’s image of a desert blooming also makes us think of the wonders of God’s creation/…Do I appreciate that creation? Do I respect the environment? Do I value and practice good stewardship of our resources? Do I think about what we are leaving to the next generation?
Lord, come and save us.
Isaiah says:/ “Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees”///… Here, the prophet speaks words of encouragement/…Do I encourage other people? Do I accept encouragement from others? Do I build people up? Am I concerned about the needs of others? Do I show concern by my actions for those who are in difficulty? Do I act fairly and justly toward others? Do I seek justice for others? Am I a good neighbour, a loving husband or wife, a responsible parent, a dedicated priest or sister?//
Isaiah’s words about “hands” and “knees” remind us of the marvel of the human body/…Do I care for my own body, getting proper exercise, eating carefully? Do I admit to and deal with my addictions? Do I respect the bodies of others? Do I seek to develop a healthy sexuality, built on the principles of the gospel?
Lord, come and save us
Isaiah says:/ “Say to those of a fearful heart, Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God…He will come and save you”//…
Here, Isaiah speaks of moving away from fear toward the peace that comes from courage/…Do I act toward others in such a way that I help them to be brave? Do I avoid any behaviour that would bully or frighten or threaten another person? How do I use power in my life? Do I face my own fears?…
Isaiah also speaks of God as Saviour/…How often do I think of God? Do I pray? Do I worship regularly in Church with my community? Do I support the work of my parish? Do I take who I am as a Christian seriously? Does the gospel of Jesus influence my attitudes and decisions? Do I know God loves me? What is the main focus of my preparation for Christmas?
Lord, come and save us.
Isaiah says: / “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing, everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away”//…
The prophet is reassuring us of God’s forgiveness, that sinners…you and I… are taken back and given another chance, a new life/…Do I forgive others? Do I give others a “second chance”, an opportunity for a better life? How do I handle the desire to “get even”? Do I struggle with hurts from the past?/… The words of Isaiah also remind us of the need to forgive ourselves/…Do I try to let go of my past mistakes? Do I accept forgiveness - from God, from others? Do I look to our celebration of Christ’s birth as a sign of God’s love and mercy for me and for all people?
Lord, come and save us