Something different

One of the distinguishing characteristics of the early Christians was their joy.  The Acts of the Apostles tells us that the disciples were filled with joy (Acts 13:52) as they shared the good news of their faith with those they encountered, but long before Jesus appeared on the scene, others had already spoken of the glory of God that was to come, a robe of righteousness (Bar 5:2) that would make us stand out from the rest of the crowd.

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius (Lk 3:1) another figure stood out as a sign of something wonderful that was to come.  It wasn’t his clothing that made him worthy of note, but rather the words he spoke.  His was a voice of one crying out in the wilderness (Lk 3:4), a voice that may well have been ignored by many but a voice that cried nonetheless, and the message he had to share would also have caused some to take notice: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight ... every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low ... (Lk 3:5).  While many other words spoken during this same time period have long been lost to history, these few stand out.

Some may say that Jesus had a kind of celebrity status, but many other celebrities have faded from the limelight while the words Jesus spoke still remain on the lips of those who follow in his footsteps.  There was something different about Jesus, and since that time, there has always been something different about those who call themselves Christian.  People notice the difference, even if they are not always able to fully understand it.

The difference that has always characterized the disciples of Jesus is the fact that each one of us is deeply and infinitely loved.  It was the realization of being deeply and infinitely loved that ultimately convinced Saint Peter: that made him weep bitter tears when he realized what he had done (cf Mk 14:72).  This same realization, that each of us is deeply and infinitely loved, softens even the most hardened hearts and awakens us to the fact that we are indeed highly privileged.

When we realize the depth of God’s love for us, the only fitting answer is for us to be thankful.  We are thankful to God for the love we have received, and we are thankful for the gift of others who have also been awakened to the joy of knowing that each of us is deeply and infinitely loved by God.  Having encountered this joy, Saint Paul constantly prayed that the one who began this good work in the hearts of his followers would bring it to completion (Phil 1:6).

During this second week of Advent, we pray for the gift of peace: peace in our world, peace in our families, peace among our friends and peace among all those who strive to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.  Peace was the gift that the risen Jesus offered to his disciples (cf Jn 20:19, 21).  Peace is the gift that is offered to us, so that like John the Baptist, like the disciples, and like all faithful followers of Jesus, others will notice in our words and actions that there is something different about us.  May they discover the great joy of knowing Jesus, the one who wishes us the gift of his peace.