Tuesday Reflection by Sr. Rosemary Finnegan, O.P.
Readings from: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112922.cfm
A few weeks ago, two friends and I had lunch at a Chinese restaurant. When the bill arrived, so did the fortune cookies. We each took turns reading what wisdom was on our little piece of paper. My fortune cookie message really struck me. It said: “An attempt at something new will be incredibly rewarding.” I tucked it in my wallet to remind me how very true that is.
When I read today’s gospel, I thought of that little saying. Jesus is actually welcoming back his disciples whom he had sent out on mission. In the verses right before this gospel, the disciples were sharing, with great amazement, all the things they were able to do in the Lord’s name. Even the demons submitted to them, they said. Obviously, like the little saying on the paper, they were overwhelmed at their new experiences and found them incredibly rewarding.
There’s a real sense of joy in this whole reading: Jesus is praying full of joy in and with the Holy Spirit to the Father. Then he tells the disciples how blessed they are to see what they have seen, and that others in the past had wanted to see and hear these wondrous things, but they, his friends the disciples, were the chosen ones. No doubt those words of Jesus only added to their wonder.
This, we know, is the first week of Advent. At this present moment in our spiritual lives, it is something new. How can we make it not just rewarding, but incredibly rewarding?
Two thoughts: First, we can always start with prayer. Today we had the privilege of hearing Jesus in his prayer. He was so aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit, and he was joyfully thanking his Father for all that he’s been given. Knowing this, we can ask ourselves: Am I aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit when I pray? What mysteries have been revealed to me? What have I learned in my prayer?
Second, Jesus is telling his disciples that they are indeed blessed to have accepted the good news. We, too, have heard this same good news and continue to be nourished by the Word of God. Do we spend time with Scripture? Do we pray with it? During this Advent, perhaps reading one chapter of one of the gospels daily will renew us so we can see these sacred words in a fresh, creative and challenging way.
May we enter into this particular Advent with a joyful spirit, and may it truly be something new that will be incredibly rewarding.
