DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE?
INTRODUCTION
The title of my reflection is, “Do You See What I See?”
Advent has great readings – today’s readings for example.
Advent has great music – especially when we hit Christmas.
Maybe musicians had more time in the cold winter time – to come up with beautiful music. Or maybe it’s the feast – the birth of Christ – the coming of the Savior – the story of a baby born of a virgin – in a stable – in a manger – on a cold winter’s night – far from home – who would become the savior or our world.
“O come let us adore him. O come let us adore him.”
A CHRISTMAS HYMN
There is a beautiful Christmas hymn. I’ll say the words, because I can’t sing,
Said the night wind to the little lamb:
Do you see what I see? (Do you see what I see?)
Way up in the sky, little lamb?
Do you see what I see? (Do you see what I see?)
A star, a star, Dancing in the night,
With a tail as big as a kite, With a tail as big as a kite.
Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy:
Do you hear what I hear? (Do you hear what I hear?)
Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy?
Do you hear what I hear? (Do you hear what I hear?)
A song, a song, High above the tree,
With a voice as big as the sea, With a voice as big as the sea.
Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king:
Do you know what I know? (Do you know what I know?)
In your palace warm, mighty king?
Do you know what I know? (Do you know what I know?)
A Child, a Child, Shivers in the cold.
Let us bring Him silver and gold!
Let us bring him silver and gold!
Said the king to the people everywhere:
Listen to what I say! (Listen to what I say!)
Pray for peace, people everywhere.
Listen to what I say!
(Listen to what I say!)
The Child, the Child, Sleeping in the night,
He will bring us goodness and light.
He will bring us goodness and light.
FRUSTRATION
One of life’s greatest frustrations is when the other – or others - don’t see what we see, don’t hear what we hear, don’t know what we know, don’t say what we say. Very frustrating.
If we think we have it bad, when it comes to frustration, think of Isaiah in today’s first reading.
He sees a stump on the ground – the round remnants of a cut down tree.
Everyone sees a stump. He sees hope – restoration, recovery, resurrection, because he sees a little green shoot shooting and sprouting out of the side of the stump of the cut down tree.
He sees. He hears. He knows. He is saying, “There is hope.”
At times we see people acting like animals – biting and fighting and killing each other. Isaiah sees different possibilities for people. He sees hope.
He sees that the wolf can be the guest of the lamb. The leopard can lie down with the goat. The calf and the young lion can browse together. And in their midst there is the small child. The cow and bear can be neighbors. The lion shall eat hay like the ox. The baby will be safe to play near the adder’s lair and the cobra’s den.
The peaceable kingdom is possible as Isaiah said, as Edward Hicks the painter painted, like every dreamer sees, knows, hears, and says.
They also know the frustration when others don’t see, hear, know or say what they see, hear, know and say.
Jesus also knew this kind of frustration – big time.
Turning to today’s gospel, we hear,
Turning to the disciples in private he said,“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, 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.”
Do you see what Jesus saw?
Do you hear what Jesus hears?
Do you know what Jesus knows?
Do you say what Jesus says?
CONCLUSION
Isn’t that why we’re here?
Isn’t that why we come to Jesus?
Advent is a time to see, hear, know and say – what we see, hear, know and Jesus says. Amen. Maranatha. Come Lord Jesus.
Said the night wind to the little lamb:
Do you see what I see? (Do you see what I see?)
Way up in the sky, little lamb?
Do you see what I see? (Do you see what I see?)
A star, a star, Dancing in the night,
With a tail as big as a kite, With a tail as big as a kite.
Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy:
Do you hear what I hear? (Do you hear what I hear?)
Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy?
Do you hear what I hear? (Do you hear what I hear?)
A song, a song, High above the tree,
With a voice as big as the sea, With a voice as big as the sea.
Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king:
Do you know what I know? (Do you know what I know?)
In your palace warm, mighty king?
Do you know what I know? (Do you know what I know?)
A Child, a Child, Shivers in the cold.
Let us bring Him silver and gold!
Let us bring him silver and gold!
Said the king to the people everywhere:
Listen to what I say! (Listen to what I say!)
Pray for peace, people everywhere.
Listen to what I say!
(Listen to what I say!)
The Child, the Child, Sleeping in the night,
He will bring us goodness and light.
He will bring us goodness and light.
FRUSTRATION
One of life’s greatest frustrations is when the other – or others - don’t see what we see, don’t hear what we hear, don’t know what we know, don’t say what we say. Very frustrating.
If we think we have it bad, when it comes to frustration, think of Isaiah in today’s first reading.
He sees a stump on the ground – the round remnants of a cut down tree.
Everyone sees a stump. He sees hope – restoration, recovery, resurrection, because he sees a little green shoot shooting and sprouting out of the side of the stump of the cut down tree.
He sees. He hears. He knows. He is saying, “There is hope.”
At times we see people acting like animals – biting and fighting and killing each other. Isaiah sees different possibilities for people. He sees hope.
He sees that the wolf can be the guest of the lamb. The leopard can lie down with the goat. The calf and the young lion can browse together. And in their midst there is the small child. The cow and bear can be neighbors. The lion shall eat hay like the ox. The baby will be safe to play near the adder’s lair and the cobra’s den.
The peaceable kingdom is possible as Isaiah said, as Edward Hicks the painter painted, like every dreamer sees, knows, hears, and says.
They also know the frustration when others don’t see, hear, know or say what they see, hear, know and say.
Jesus also knew this kind of frustration – big time.
Turning to today’s gospel, we hear,
Turning to the disciples in private he said,“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, 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.”
Do you see what Jesus saw?
Do you hear what Jesus hears?
Do you know what Jesus knows?
Do you say what Jesus says?
CONCLUSION
Isn’t that why we’re here?
Isn’t that why we come to Jesus?
Advent is a time to see, hear, know and say – what we see, hear, know and Jesus says. Amen. Maranatha. Come Lord Jesus.
This was a homily for the 1st Tuesday in Advent - December 1, 2009. The readings were: Isaiah 111-10 and Luke 10: 21 - 24
No comments:
Post a Comment