Reflections on the readings for Christmas 2020

Archbishop Oscar Romero used to say, ‘Some truth can only be seen through eyes that have cried.’  Though many of us may not be familiar with the names of siblings Antony, 13, Angelina, 12 and Sienna Abdullah, 9, and their cousin Veronique Sakr, 11, who were killed on their way to buy ice-cream. In February 2019, their parents seem to have experienced what Romero wrote. The families of these children have launched an annual forgiveness day as a way of remembering them. Their words of forgiveness have powerfully turned hurt and pain and lost into forgiveness for the sake of healing. 

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Who can build a dwelling place for God?  David wanted to build God a nice house, God responded by saying something like this: ‘I have never had a house. I have lived in a tent. I like tents because I can move quickly that way and be with people.’  God has been on the move, dwelling with the people who lived in tents as they journeyed through the desert from Egypt to Canaan. None of Israel’s leaders were asked to build God a temple.  Pope Francis continually reminds us about ‘people on the move’ around the world. He presents us with a God who journeys with us and with all people especially those ‘on the move’.

Third Sunday in Advent 2020

Isaiah and St Paul tell their communities to hold on and wait in joyful hope for the coming of Jesus despite whatever was going on around them. This same message applies today even though people may try to find reasons not to rejoice in what some would say a crazy world where things seem to change every minute and difficult to keep up with. Our reality is distorted by a constant inundation of bad news. It seems there is little reason to rejoice especially in the face of human suffering.