Homily: Thursday - 1st Week of Advent 2016 - Firm purpose brings peace

Isaiah speaks today of a well-defended city. It has strong walls and ramparts to protect the people from both severe weather and enemy attack. It is to be a city where the just, the righteous, the people of God can take refuge.

In a sense Isaiah spoke of what the earthly Jerusalem was supposed to be for the Jews; a place where the people of God, made holy by following all God’s commands, were to dwell and be a light for all nations.

Isaiah, too, foreshadows here, the Church. We Christians, made righteous—redeemed by the blood of Christ—make our earthly refuge within the secure walls of the Church, on the rock of faith, protected by the moral and doctrinal guidance of the Apostles, nourished by the Sacraments.

The city is even a foreshadowing of the heavenly Jerusalem that will last forever. You could find lovely descriptions, echoing the language of Isaiah, to describe the heavenly city where the redeemed shall dwell forever, in the book of Revelation.

Closely related to this idea of a city, are the houses of the wise man and the fool in the Gospel. The wise man builds his house, his life, on firm foundations—on the firm foundations of God: truth, goodness, beauty, faith, hope, love. We are foolish when we build our lives on the passing fancies of the culture, on the deficient moral principles of the world.

The city of Isaiah, the house of the Gospels, can also stand for our personal spiritual lives. Isaiah says that the inhabitants of the city have such a firm purpose that they are able to experience great peace. Great peace comes when we firmly devote ourselves to doing the will of God.

When we put off doing God’s will, when we put off spending time in meditative prayer, when we put off sitting down the scriptures, when we put off engaging in the works of charity, there is a restlessness, an anxiety. But have you ever regretted making that holy hour, have you ever regretted practicing the self-discipline and fasting?

Advent allows us an opportunity to strengthen our purpose; Advent is to be a quieter, more solemn season, in which we can discern the will of God in our lives, where we can examine the parts of our lives which our not built on the solid foundation of Christ.  We prepare well for the coming of Christ at Christmas and the coming of Christ at the end of time, by renewing our purpose. Think. Ask God. Reflect. Why am I here. What is the work I’m to be about? What are the practices that will best nourish my spiritual life? How can I best open wide the gates of my heart to those in need? For the glory of God and salvation of souls.