All Things are Possible

“On that day,

A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,

and from his roots a bud shall blossom.”

Isaiah 11:1 

Tuesday of the First Week of Advent

What gives you hope? The new restrictions because of the pandemic, the McCarrick report, the disunity within our country – how can we remain hopeful? Advent is a season of hope, a hope that is not wishful thinking.  It is an eternal hope, a hope not in any thing, but in a person. We hope in Jesus Christ.

The Prophet Isaiah tells us that a “shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse.” Have you ever seen a tree stump? It’s the part of a tree that is seemingly signals the tree is gone. Nothing is left but a stump. If you have ever read the “Giving Tree” but Shel Silverstein where he describes the relationship between a little boy and a tree.  The tree gives away its apples, leaves, branches – everything so that the boy could have what he wanted to pursue in life. Finally, when the boy came back after many years what remained of the tree was just a stump and the tree apologized because it has nothing left to give. But the boy simply said he didn’t need much but just a place to sit and rest. The stump invited the boy to rest on him.

My brothers and sisters, our God invites us to rest in Him. Especially during these times. I remember during Holy Week when the public celebration of mass was suspended, looking into an empty Church it felt sad and sometimes even hopeless. But then during the consecration, I looked out into the main doors of the Church and I saw people. I saw people kneeling outside. That gave me hope. Because God became man, we have hope. What may seem as dead and useless is that which gives life. A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse. God reminds the people of his promise to them, that our savior will come through the line of David. And He was true to His word. Jesus came. But 2000 years later our God continues to remain faithful and keeps his word. He comes to us in the silence of our hearts; He comes to us in our prayer; He comes to us in one another; and He comes to us in the Eucharist and the sacraments. What may seem impossible to us is very much possible for God – a sprout coming from a stump, and even lions playing among lambs. How strange is that a predator can be at peace with its prey. Commentators suggest that it is a reference to Christ. In one of his sermons, St. Augustine said that Christ endured death like a lamb and He devoured it like a lion.  In Christ all things are possible.

My brother and sisters, things may not look good now, but we can have the hope that we are not alone. We cannot expect God to wave a wand to clean everything up and make everything better (because He is not a magician!), but we can have the hope that He will walk with us through it all. In this season of hope, may we remember the promise God makes with us, a promise that may seem impossible and even laughable to the world, but to us, who are a hopeful people, it is very much possible. Christ has already conquered death and triumphed over evil. There is no darkness, no sin, no weakness or fault of ours that is too great for Jesus.  For all those He too has conquered.  What else do we have to fear? So fear not, but hope. Hope in the Lord.  Hope in Jesus who is made present to us in the breaking of the bread. Jesus invites us to rest and hope in Him. Let us not turn Him away. May the Lord give you peace.