CEDARS IN THE WILDERNESS

PRAYER MOMENT 

Thursday 11 December 2014

CEDARS IN THE WILDERNESS

             

Pause. Enter into the stillness of God within.

Reading: “In the wilderness I will put cedar trees, acacias, myrtles, olives. In the desert I will plant juniper, plane tree and cypress side by side.” (Isaiah 41:13-20)

Reflection. Our readings from Isaiah abound with images of life and fruitfulness in unlikely places and that is the Advent message.  Cedar trees are enormous and last for centuries. Their wood went to build Solomon’s temple. The variety Isaiah hints at reflects the variety of life and imagination we see everywhere today. The twentieth century theologian Karl Rahner saw the multitude of good people in the world doing their best day by day as ‘anonymous Christians.’ They didn’t like to be called any kind of Christian if they were not believers and that is understandable. But from the point of view of faith the world abounds in good people trying to live responsibly and honestly and that gives delight to their creator. He owns them too as his children, whether they like it or not!

Prayer. Lord, help us to see you at work everywhere in your people and help us all to stretch forward in ever greater generosity towards the welcoming og your kingdom in our midst. Amen.  

David Harold-Barry SJ