He Longs For You

A Reflection on the First Reading for January 2nd, 2022:
The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

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Isaiah
60.1-6

Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!
For darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Lift up your eyes and look around;
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away,
and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms.

Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and rejoice,
because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.
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Happy New Year!

I find that the new year is always filled with a notion of new beginnings and opportunities; with those around us trying to start the year on “the right foot” and having an air of immense positivity. It can certainly be inspiring and motivating for some, while others may not relate to these feelings. To say the least, times are difficult in our world right now. Many of us are tired, burnt out, or living with sadnesses and burdens that can feel all too much at times. In these circumstances, it might be difficult to feel that our lives are together enough to sit and write down our top 10 goals for 2022. And I want to let you know (and remind myself!) that that is completely okay. God does not wait for our lives to be all together and tidy to come into our hearts and show His great and perfect love for us. 

At Saint Benedict Parish’s Christmas Eve Mass, Fr. Simon Lobo’s homily reminded me of the beauty of God’s timing. God sent His only son into the world in a non-conventional, likely stressful way. Just before Jesus’ birth, Mary and Joseph’s plans and preparations were uprooted, resulting in them having to travel by donkey for a whole week while Mary was 9 months pregnant. Furthermore, when they arrived at their destination, there was no place for them to stay at the inn. They were sent to a dirty stable with animals where Mary was to give birth, which would have posed many health risks. I can only imagine how fearful Mary and Joseph must have been at that time. But, they had faith and trusted in the Lord, and because it was God’s will, it was perfect. Jesus came into the world exactly as God intended, even though it may have seemed to be imperfect. 

God loves and desires you in your imperfectness. As the Isaiah 60:1-6 reading proclaims, He longs for you and desires the best for you even in the darkness. No matter what circumstances you are in at this moment, the light of the Lord is yours to accept. I pray that I may start 2022 with the knowledge that God will always be with me, even in the darkest, most chaotic moments, and that His love has no conditions. Amen.




Megan Noye
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