Homily: Tuesday - 1st Week of Advent 2016 - A shoot shall sprout from the stump

Even though we read extensively from the book of the prophet Isaiah during Advent, since it is such a long book, 66 chapters, the longest of the prophetic books, we really only get to read bits and pieces at Mass.

After several chapters prophesying the defeat and judgment of Israel’s enemies, we hear one of the most beautiful passages of the book—beautiful because of its prose, but also its subject matter, and its promises. We hear today, so early in Advent, of the promise of the Redeemer, a Messiah, where he’ll come from, and some of his characteristics.

At the time of Isaiah’s writing, the house of david was in shambles, though God had promised David that his heir would be the king of kings, the Davidic line appeared more like a rotting stump than a flourishing royal tree. But Isaiah prophesied that from this stump shall arise a shoot; the line will continue, the Messiah will come.

And this Messiah-King will be graced with the Holy Spirit of God—the Spirit that breathed on the waters of creation, the spirit that breathed life into Adam, the Spirit that was given to Moses then portioned out to the elders, the Spirit that fell upon David when anointed by Samuel.

From the earliest years of the Church, the Church Fathers have taught that Jesus is the promised Davidic Messiah Isaiah wrote about in this passage. God the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus at His baptism (Mt 3:16). The "gifts of the spirit" that are His are transferred to baptized and confirmed Christians as His heirs. St. Paul wrote: For all who are let by the Spirit of God are sons of God...if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ (Rom 8:14, 17).

And the Catechism teaches: "The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understand, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. They belong in their fullness to Christ, Son of David. They complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspirations" (CCC 1831).

The Catechism goes on to teach that "The fruits of the Spirit are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory. The tradition of the Church lists twelve of them: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity'" (CCC 1832; quoting Gal 5:22-23).

This Advent ought to be a fruitful time for each of us in which we nurture the spiritual gifts. You might consider using the list of spiritual gifts as a sort of examination of conscience; which is your weakest, which is your strongest, which do you think God is calling you to practice more devoutly? Some of these gifts might appear to be more like old stumps than flourishing trees, but new growth is possible.

We recognize that we prepare best this Advent for the coming of the Messiah by seeking to become more like Him, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.