Mission 

Friday of the Second Week of AdventReadings: Isaiah 48:17-19; Psalm 1:1-4, 6; Matthew 11:16-19                    15 December 2023

“TO WHAT SHALL I COMPARE THIS GENERATION?” – MATTHEW 11:16

Here we have the Pharisees comparing the eating habits of John the Baptist, who fasted, and Jesus, who dined with sinners. In the carefully stratified society of Jesus’ time, a righteous person would never associate with the unrighteous, for fear of becoming unclean.

But here is Jesus, scandalising everyone because he does indeed break down these barriers. How would you feel if you saw me socialising with prostitutes and drug-dealers, eating and drinking with terrorists? Would it shock you, dismay you, disappoint you? But this is what Jesus did, precisely because he was the Incarnation of the God who aggressively seeks out the lost.

God looks for us, comes running after us, never lets go, never relents, never gives up. The more we run, the more he runs after us; the more we hide, the more he looks; the more we resist, the more he persists. God loves sinners and associates with them.

Pray for understanding of others in all we do today.