Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • December 13, 2019 5 9274 Hwy 49/Airport Gulfport, MS 39503 228-863-5525 1-800-880-2446 FAX: 228-863-9612 www.butchoustalet.com Prices starting at $2,499 ~ with airfare included in this price from anywhere in the USA Many trip destinations: the Holy Land; Italy; France; Portugal; Spain; Poland; Medjugorje; Lourdes; Fatima; Ireland; Scotland; England; Austria; Germany; Switzerland; Turkey; Greece; Budapest; Prague; Our Lady of Guadalupe; Colombia; Brazil; Argentina; Domestic Destinations; etc… We also specialize in custom trips for Bishops, Priests, and Deacons (Hablamos Español) 855-842-8001 508-340-9370 www.proximotravel.com anthony@proximotravel.com call us 24/7 1260 Ocean Springs Road, Ocean Springs, MS 39564 Ph: 228-818-0650 For more information, contact Jody Ellis Stoddard, Executive Director or email her at gardensED@BlueHarborSL.com Web Address: www.gardensseniorliving.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheGardensSeniorLivingOceanSprings Thank you, St. Jude, for prayers answered. MSA In his book, Coming Back Stronger , New Orleans Saints quarterback, Drew Brees, writes of setbacks and struggles in his life and his amazing comeback from an injury that nearly halted his football career. “It’s persistence, faith, belief: it’s all part of the master’s plan. Have faith in God especially at times when you have little or no control over your circumstances.” Pause for a moment and think of some wonderful events and experiences you have had. Did these blessings come as a breakthrough from hardship or misfortune and challenge your belief in God and persistence in faith? Victory, coming back from hardship, is sweetest in the face of adversity. In today’s first reading, Isaiah brings Yahweh’s word of hope and deliverance to people well-acquainted with hardship. Held captive by their enemies in a foreign land they had difficulty seeing God in their present circumstance. With no temple for worship or offering ritual sacrifices and no Ark of the Covenant, had God abandoned them? On the contrary, through Isaiah’s prophetic ministry they discovered God had made the journey into exile with them, was present everywhere and in every circumstance and heard their cries for help. God breaks down walls of fear, defeat, hopelessness, loneliness, dissatisfaction and spiritual dryness. Rejoicing in the Lord will quench the parched areas of their lives. Miracles will follow hardship and victory will prevail. Physically and spiritually blind eyes will see, deaf ears will hear, halted limbs will leap with healing joy, frightened hearts gain strength and fearlessness, lost souls experience salvation, and joy would replace sadness and mourning. God’s miraculous power makes all things new. Only God’s word and will, not coincidence or quirk of nature, accomplishes such awesome deeds. The result of God’s intervention is a people who will come back stronger. “Those whom the Lord has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy” (Isaiah 35:10). How do you endure hardship? Will you doubt God’s presence in your pain or allow it to increase your hope, faith and joy? Will you embrace a ministry of serving others in their need even though you have needs of your own? Psalm 146 is a hymn of someone who has learned there is no other source of strength except the merciful God that hears and honors their petitions. Only God, not good luck, not wishing on a star, not cursing the darkness, not powerful armies can us come back from hardship. Is this your experience with God as well? James, writing to people oppressed by the unjust rich, preaches hope in the Lord buoyed by patience and gives example of a farmer planting and knowing that someday the rains will come and his work (patient endurance) will bear fruit. In the meantime, James continues, do not grumble and complain which leads to despair but use the example of the prophets of old who persisted with patience in the face of hardship. Could there be a more discouraging place to be than a prison where your execution is certain, but you don’t know when? In today’s Gospel, John, in prison, was concerned not so much for himself but about the faith and future of those to whom he ministered. Consequently, he sent his disciples to Jesus with the question, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” Were John’s efforts as forerunner to the Messiah spent in vain? Would the messianic prophecy not see its fulfillment until a few more centuries? He had to know. Jesus’ reply connects with Isaiah’s prophecy and builds on the seen and heard witness of those John sent. He assures John that God had never and would never abandon them. “The blind will receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor will have the good news proclaimed to them” (Matthew 11:5). This is God’s victory promise to his faithful. John was confused over Jesus’messianic role because he viewed Messiah to be a stern judge and powerful ruler, yet Jesus was gentle, loving, and a friend of those in need. Can you also misunderstand Jesus’ role in your life? Jesus wants to be in close relationship with you. Do you keep him at a distance? He wants to heal, forgive and bless. Do you see him as one who condemns? Since Jesus has the power to perform miracles on your behalf do you attribute blessings to good luck or circumstance, or are you quick to give God credit for them? We continue, this Advent, to prepare for Christ’s coming. Expectation, excitement and joy build as in the days of Isaiah and John the Baptist when they too discovered that the Lord’s words take flesh and reality through his presence and miracle working power. Have you made that same discovery? Deacon Ralph Torrelli lives in Hattiesburg and is as- signed to St. Thomas Aquinas Parish. Visit his website: www.homilypearls.com . 1st Reading: Isaiah 35:1-6, 10 Responsorial Psalm: 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10 2nd Reading: James 5:7-10 Gospel: Matthew 11:2-11 3rd Sunday of Advent Coming back Deacon Torrell i Sunday Scripture Commentaries