Something Hardly Noticeable
"A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him." (Isaiah11:1-2).
These words from last night's liturgy have stayed with me during the day. Our salvation comes from something small, tender, and vulnerable, something hardly noticeable. God, who is the Creator of the Universe, comes to us in smallness, weakness, and hiddenness.
I find this a hopeful message. Somehow, I keep expecting loud and impressive events to convince me and others of God's saving power; but over and over again I am reminded that spectacles, power plays, and big events are the ways of the world. Our temptation is to be distracted by them and made blind to the "shoot that shall sprout from the stump."
When I have no eyes for the small signs of God's presence - the smile of a baby, the carefree play of children, the words of encouragement and gestures of love offered by friends - I will always remain tempted to despair.
The small child of Bethlehem, the unknown young man of Nazareth, the rejected preacher, the naked man on the cross, he asks for my full attention. The work of our salvation takes place in the midst of a world that continues to shout, scream, and overwhelm us with its claims and promises. But the promise is hidden in the shoot that sprouts from the stump, a shoot that hardly anyone notices.   |
| Advent Book Discussion
Join us during Advent as we reflect on Henri Nouwen's A Spirituality of Homecoming and
A Spirituality of Living. Facilitated by Brynn Lawrence and Ray Glennon. You are welcome to participate in any way that is spiritually nourishing for you! READ * REFLECT * SHARE  | iGracias! - A Latin American Journal (December 2, 1981), copyright © 1983 Henri J.M. Nouwen. Published by HarperCollins. Reprinted with publisher's kind permission. First quotation from Isaiah is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989. Second quotation from Isaiah is from the New American Bible, copyright © 1970 by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. Photo of Henri Nouwen by Frank Hamilton. Photo of roses by Sharon Sheehan. All images used with kind permission. |
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