Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent
Many of the Prophets from the Old Testament reiterate the same message, but despite the Babylonian exile and the destruction of Jerusalem, the people still struggle to understand that God simply wants the people to turn back to Him. This message comes out clearly in Zephaniah’s work, when the Lord speaks to the people: “Woe to the city… in the Lord she has not trusted, to her God she has not drawn near” (Zephaniah 3:1-2). While not forcing the child, like a parent, God wishes His child would return back to His protection, but Israel continues in her destructive path. If Israel returns back to God, the Lord will “change and purify the lips of the people that they may all call upon the name of the Lord” (Zephaniah 3:9). This 6th century B.C. writing continues to connect with the core of the First Week because despite our failings and faults, God still loves each individual! As we prepare for Christ’s birth, let us be willing to present our faults and failings before God, knowing that God will always welcome each of us back.