(source: http://philippinesemmauswalk.org/a-personal-encounter-with-jesus/
You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;say to the towns of Judah,“Here is your God!”
Isaiah 40:9
Do you let Jesus inspire you in how you live your life?
This is a very similar question to the question I asked in the last entry, but it's more general. Rather than speaking specifically about the joy we receive as Christians, this question addresses the general impact Jesus has on us.
When Francis calls Christians to a life which " has its source in the heart of the risen Christ" (EG 2) he's really inviting them to a daily encounter with Jesus in their lives, or to a place of freedom and openness where they can allow themselves to be encountered by Him.(EG 3). Whichever way we consider this encounter, there are challenges involved, as there would be with encountering anyone: Anytime we meet someone for the first time,we're invited to make ourselves available to them, be attentive to their person, and focus on their inspired ideas and loving presence. We know there are risks too...there's always the possibility when we move towards the other, that we could be hurt, but there is also much to gain from that encounter that the risks are worth taking. All we can do is pray that the Spirit of Understanding and Wisdom that we are attentive to during the Advent season be with us as we encounter new people. This will help us be open to the gifts they have to offer, while allowing us to continue offering our gifts to everyone we meet.
With Jesus, the work we have to do is no less intense.However,what we learn is that, whenever we do move towards him, 'we come to realize he's already there, waiting for us with open arms' (EG 3). This is a wonderful process, but not without its challenges: As the Pope said in today's homily, " when we make our way towards Him, we must go with open heart and faith, even though this is not always easy". In other words,yes, there's comfort and joy around God's constant love for us, no matter how far from the path stray. However, we also have to deal with that straying. Thankfully, Jesus never tires of welcoming us back into his boundless love. It's that love which allows us to return to this place of grace, where we can lift up our heads and start moving ahead in a great joy in the light of the Lord.(EG 3) There is still so much to say about this joy, a joy so strong, that it was felt and predicted long before Jesus came among us (EG 4) and will continue to lift people out of their darkness until the end of time...Francis has already spoken a bit about this special link we have to God, and you can be sure he will much more to say later! For now, let us simply rejoice at the peace and joy we receive from Jesus' boundless love for us.
3. I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since “no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord”.[1] The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk; whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that he is already there, waiting for us with open arms. Now is the time to say to Jesus: “Lord, I have let myself be deceived; in a thousand ways I have shunned your love, yet here I am once more, to renew my covenant with you. I need you. Save me once again, Lord, take me once more into your redeeming embrace”. How good it feels to come back to him whenever we are lost! Let me say this once more: God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy. Christ, who told us to forgive one another “seventy times seven” (Mt 18:22) has given us his example: he has forgiven us seventy times seven. Time and time again he bears us on his shoulders. No one can strip us of the dignity bestowed upon us by this boundless and unfailing love. With a tenderness which never disappoints, but is always capable of restoring our joy, he makes it possible for us to lift up our heads and to start anew. Let us not flee from the resurrection of Jesus, let us never give up, come what will. May nothing inspire more than his life, which impels us onwards!
4. The books of the Old Testament
predicted that the joy of salvation would abound in messianic times. The
prophet Isaiah exultantly salutes the awaited Messiah: “You have multiplied the
nation, you have increased its joy” (9:3). He exhorts those who dwell on Zion
to go forth to meet him with song: “Shout aloud and sing for joy!” (12:6). The
prophet tells those who have already seen him from afar to bring the message to
others: “Get you up to a high mountain, O herald of good tidings to Zion; lift
up your voice with strength, O herald of good tidings to Jerusalem” (40:9). All
creation shares in the joy of salvation: “Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O
earth! Break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his
people, and will have compassion on his suffering ones” (49:13).
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