Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11
Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19
Matthew 17:9-13
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U R E. & J.
"Elijah is indeed coming, and he will restore everything." —Matthew 17:11
Jesus said that Elijah would restore everything. What a statement! Everything? How could someone restore everything? Jesus said that the restoration of everything was begun by St. John the Baptizer (Mt 17:13), who came “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Lk 1:17; cf Mt 11:13-14). The Power for this universal restoration is the Holy Spirit. Consequently, John was “filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb” (Lk 1:15). John began the restoration of everything by turning “the hearts of fathers to their children” (Lk 1:17).
This universal restoration is still in process. When we complete it, the world will end and Jesus will come back. Until then, “Jesus must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration which God spoke of long ago through His holy prophets” (Acts 3:21). So Jesus is patiently waiting for us to finish the job (see 2 Pt 3:15). We may feel overwhelmed at this responsibility, since universal restoration seems no less monumental now than at Jesus’ time, despite all the Lord has been doing in the meantime. However, all we have to do is what Elijah and John did — be filled with the Spirit, obey the Lord, and focus on turning “the hearts of fathers to their children” (Lk 1:17). If we do this much, we will do our part to bring about universal restoration and hasten Jesus’ final coming (2 Pt 3:12). YoU aRe another Elijah and John. Work and live accordingly.
Prayer: Father, may this Advent and my life's work follow in the tradition of Elijah and John.
Promise: "You are destined, it is written, in time to come to put an end to wrath before the day of the Lord." —Sir 48:10
Praise: In 2019, Pope Francis added the feast of Our Lady of Loreto to the Church's liturgical calendar. He called Loreto a "place where young people can come in search of their vocation."
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