Faith

2nd Sunday of Advent

Like these days, in some dark corner of our houses, there is a great chance that we will find the seeds of vetches (ġulbiena) placed on a little cotton or soil. Maybe we adults remember when we were kids and we first planted vetches and how little we knew how it would grow in such a short period of time. However, now that we are adults, we do this process with much more conviction, because we have no doubt that a few weeks after we would have sown the seeds, we will have beautiful, white vetch.

During this week, we are invited to reflect on faith. Many times, in our lives, we find ourselves caught between that child who is planting vetch for the first time, sceptical and full of questions, and that adult who is doing the same process, but full of hope at what he will find a few weeks later.

In a few weeks’ time, we will celebrate the first coming of Jesus among us as a baby – a historical fact, of which there is no doubt, we find even in pagan sources and writings! However, at Christmas we also celebrate our faith that Jesus will come again, both at the end of time and today, into our lives.

In the midst of a global pandemic, towards the end of a year with so many challenges that have continued to increase the problems that we encounter in our ‘normal’ lives, we may doubt how much Jesus really wants to come to us and make a difference, in our lives. For us humans, this is normal, and we don’t have to worry too much that we sometimes lack faith. This is so true that it is for this reason that the Church – every year – gives us the time of Advent – so that with its symbols and with such a beautiful reading from the Scriptures, we may regain courage, strengthen our hope, as well as our faith in the One who has already saved and conquered the world.

This week the children will be introduced to the animals found in the crib – the cow, the donkey and the sheep. I don’t know if you have ever wondered how, out of so many animals, it’s these little animals that have found their place in the crib! For if it were up to some of our children, they would definitely place a cat, a dog or even a dinosaur instead!

The cow and the donkey are mentioned in the first chapter of the book of the prophet Isaiah, where we see how ‘the bull recognizes his master, and the ass his master’s manger, but Israel does not recognize’. Faith is what gives us ‘new eyes’ – seeing what the unbeliever cannot see; to understand what the faithless finds hard to understand; and to live an experience that without faith would be difficult or even impossible to live.

In this unforeseen and unprecedented of times, many are living these days with all the restrictions we have, with the belief that in a few weeks or months we will have a vaccine that will change this harsh reality. Let us also live this Advent with faith, with faith that in spite of all that we are going through, Jesus can truly be born in our hearts and fill them with that joy and with that hope that he can only give.

Finally, I would like to end with the words of Pope Francis, who a few days ago made a very beautiful reflection on faith: ‘faith is the opposite of mediocrity: it is an ardent desire for God, it is a continual courage to convert, it is courage to love, always moving forward. Faith is not water that extinguishes, it is fire that burns; it is not a sedative for those who are stressed, it is a love story for those who are in love’.

Music is taken from The Christmas Song, a collection of Christmas music by Jacob Portelli and Fiorella Camilleri in aid of Dar Bjorn

The donkey was used by the poorer people who could not buy a horse for riding. Most probably the Holy Family travelled from Nazareth (their hometown) to Bethlehem (the town of their origin) on a donkey. Even later on in Jesus’s life, while entering Jerusalem just before his passion, death and resurrection, our blessed Saviour rode upon a donkey and thus showing his meekness and humility (Luke 19:35). How shall we be like our Saviour if we insist that we are always right?

The ox, too, is an important animal in the Bible. It contributed greatly to the economy and was used in a lot of farming activities such as ploughing. They were generally animals that carry things, and they were generally yoked in pairs. Do you remember when Jesus told us to take upon ourselves his yoke, because he is meek and humble? (‎Matthew 11:28) Jesus wants to tell us that he is willing to share our difficulties and troubles with us, if we let him come into our lives.

God says, in the Bible, “The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib; but Israel do not know, my people do not consider” (Isaiah 1:3). Shouldn’t we be sorry that both the ox and the donkey are more grateful than we are?

It is not common with us to have persons whose only business is to take care of sheep, but that was always the way in places that we read in the Bible.

The sheep is so timid and gentle that it needs protection, and without the care of the shepherd would often stray away and be lost, or even attacked by other animals. David, who was a shepherd himself says, “I have gone astray like a lost sheep” (Psalm 119:176). When we misbehave, when we mistreat others and when we are indifferent to the needs of others, we too are like sheep that have gone away from their shepherd.

But Jesus is not just our Good Shepherd: when the Son of God became a man, the Good Shepherd became a lamb – a young sheep – himself! This Lamb of God is not just an example for other sheep – we ourselves! – to follow but he also becomes the one who takes away the sin of the world. As we pray during Mass: “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us; Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.”

Draw pictures of these three different animals. While you’re drawing these pictures, thank God for creating the world for us to take care of it and to learn from it. Even figures that at first seem unsignificant can teach us a lot about how we can live a better – and a holier – life!

DonkeyDownload
OxDownload
SheepDownload