Advent: Catholic ReflectionsShembull

Yesterday we considered the rewards of faith, and today Isaiah and Matthew teach us about one such reward: the Lord's compassion. This is not to say the Lord lacks compassion for nonbelievers, far from it! But our faith enables us to see more clearly the Lord's compassion at work. God's love for us is so all-encompassing, so extreme, it is truly beyond all human imagining, and our Bible readings today demonstrate this. Isaiah comforts us with the words "weep no more. He will be gracious to you when he hears your cry; when he hears he will answer." He then continues to outline the vastness of the Lord's graciousness. Matthew speaks of Jesus as the compassionate healer who desires wholeness for his people. Overwhelmed by the needs of the people, he commissions the 12 disciples to join in his ministry of healing. He gathers us all, in our lost and broken states, and brings joy, healing, and new life. Perhaps take some time today to pray for people who are sick. Ask Jesus for his healing touch.