Advent 4, Sunday 21st
Dec.
Mass: Gospel Luke 1:26-38
Homily by Fr. Raymond.
Subject: The prophet Daniel and St Benedict and suggesing that St Bnedict.
like Daniel. could deserve the name of a 'Man of Desires'.
This raises the
question of the whole place of prophecy in our life in the spirit.
Advent Prophecy
What are prophecies for? What does God mean
by them?
It can hardly be so
that we will know that such ad such a thing is going to happen at such and such
a time. The prophecies contained in Gods Revelation are far too obscure and difficult
for that. They are recognised as having been accomplished, only post factum. (Even
the prophecy of the Messiahs birth was not put forward as a proof of who he
was. He allowed himself to be called the Nazarene by everyone, even by his own
apostles. "Jesus of Nazareth" - "can anything good come from
that place?")
Besides, if
prophecies were meant simply to foretell the future, then once the event had
occurred, the prophecy would not have a purpose for those who came after. But we
can be sure that the prophecies of scripture are always meaningful in the life
of the church; they are always powerful instruments of growth in grace for
those who embrace them and make them their own.
Pride of place
among the prophecies of old are, of course, those which point to the
incarnation of the Son of God, and indeed it might be said that every
prophecy of sacred scripture points, in one way or another, to that central
point of revelation. The main purpose of this prophecy and therefore of all prophecy
is to put before our minds and hearts the great promises of God that we may
reach out to them in the joy of faith love and hope. So whether we live before
the prophecy is fulfilled or after it, it still has this basic formative role
in our growth in the spirit because no matter how a prophecy is fulfilled in
time its full accomplishment can only be in eternity
On, this
understanding then one of the marks of the genuineness of a
Divine Prophecy is,
not its fulfilment but rather its lack of fulfilment in this world. Every
genuine prophecy is eschatological by its nature. It is, in this life, a thing
of promise and hope rather than of fulfilment.
In so far as there
is a historical element in it, one that is fulfilled in time that is only the
beginning of the message. Where; for instance, will
Israel learn that-the the prophecy of its promised land was not one of
a kingdom of this
world. The Messiah's Kingdom is not of this world and he very explicitly says
so.
The very coming of
the Messiah in history is itself only a tiny portion of what his coming means. Not
till we see him as he is and touch and handle the Word of Life in eternity will
the great gift of the Incarnation be fulfilled for each of us and fully
realized by each of us..
The prophecies call
us ever onwards and upwards, further and higher into the mysteries they
proclaim until we are fully immersed in them and taste their completeness in
the Kingdom.
The Word was made
flesh and dwelt among us, but not till we are made spirit and dwell with him
will that prophecy be completely fulfilled.
Eye has not seen
nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man to consider what things
God has prepard for those who love him.
Raymond
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