Advent is making the portrait of Christ a reality

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The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Tuesday in the First Week of Advent, 05 December 2023
Isaiah 11:1-10   ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'>   Luke 10:21-24

Praise and glory 
to you, God our Father
for this Season of Advent!

Indeed we are so blessed 
in your Son Jesus Christ
for "many prophets and kings
desired to see what you see,
but did not see it, and to hear
what you hear, but did not hear it"
(Luke 10:24).

How wonderful are your plans,
most merciful Father,
in making a shoot sprout from
the stump of Jesse and from its
roots a bud blossom (Isaiah 11:1),
Jesus Christ.

As we await his Second Coming,
help us realize, bring into reality,
his most beautiful portrait saw by Isaiah:
"Justice shall be the band around his waist,
and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.
Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
the calf and the young lion shall browse together, 
with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like ox.
The baby shall play by the cobras den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair"
(vv.5-8).

Let us witness the gospel of Jesus
to effect peace that until now 
has eluded us 
because we have refused to
recognize Jesus,
follow Jesus,
be like Jesus.

Let us be like Jesus
who is just,
not judging by appearance
nor deciding by hearsay,
siding with the poor
not with the rich,
speaking always of
his truth and justice.

We are so blessed 
in Jesus Christ who had come,
who is come 
who will come again;
make us responsible enough
to see Jesus more clearly,
to understand his vision deeply,
to listen to his words acutely
so he may be found in us already.
Amen.