When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” (Psalm 126:1-3)
Our anticipation of the coming of Christ the King should move us to reflection but the busyness of the cultural trappings of Christmas tends to deflect our meditation until Sunday. In the same fashion, the hustle and bustle can affect our joy and our feelings and actions toward others. Without our joy, our love for our neighbor becomes dry like the desert sands.
Take a few moments to reflect on Psalm 126 this week, a reading from the liturgical calendar. God through David knew that we would need to be reminded of our days in exile. The days we walked in a desert of our own making, winds of self-absorption swirling around our souls, sin directing our feet. At the moment we were redeemed by the Master, we knew a joy at being found, at being led from the desert but our Self was not willing to give in that easy. We often tread back out to the desert, sin a dangerous beast lurking in the shadows.
We must remind ourselves not just this week but every week that we are being led back home. We must allow our mouths to be filled with laughter and allow songs of joy to come from our tongues. When we observe that the Lord has done great things for us and know it, truly believe it in our deepest soul, we want others to know it as well. We will love and our steps will follow a new path.
Our anticipation looks forward to the entry of Pure Love into our world. He came for you and me, and He came for our neighbors. His love is our love and our love needs to be our neighbor’s. Help someone else find their way out of the desert and do it in love.
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LOVE | ACCEPT | FORGIVE 