A Way Home

A Reflection on the First Reading for December 19th, 2021:
Fourth Sunday of Advent

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Micah
5.2-5a

The Lord says to his people:
“You, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,
who are one of the little clans of Judea,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to rule in Israel,
whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.”

Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labour has brought forth;
then the rest of his kindred
shall return to the children of Israel.
And he shall stand and feed his flock
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

And they shall live secure,
for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth;
and he shall be peace.
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He lets us go until… we can receive Him.


Ancient and infant.
Something we can’t grasp becomes Someone we can hold.
Strength. Majesty. Greatness.
All contained in Someone born in a stable, who grows to stand in the dust.
All this Glory hidden, swirling within.
And He marshals it to feed His sheep.


He shows us a Shepherd and keeps the King to Himself.
He has come to save, and not to censure.
There is no longer a need to stay at a distance.
We could not come to Him, so He came to us.
He calls us to come out of hiding.
He is holding out to us what we need to receive:
A way home,
Shalom,
Peace.


Oh. How could I have missed it?
It’s not, ‘He shall bring peace.’
It’s, ‘He shall BE peace.’
He does not hold out peace, that I may take it from His hand.
He pulls me to Himself, and encircles me,
His hands on either side of my back,
He is my Peace.


Father, how can it be?


‘Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.’


‘Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.’


Amen.




Noreen Smith
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