What Have You Seen? - Matthew 11 - Advent 3A

What Have You Seen?

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Reflection based upon Matthew 11:2-11, Isaiah 35:1-10, James 5:7-10

Opening prayer

Happy third Sunday of Advent! We light the pink candle, and like John in our lesson, we have questions: why and what for?

When I lost my job, I found myself in serious distress and blaming, and the person that got it the worst was my own and boy did I. For in these moments, when things have been rattled, when our world has been upended and rugs taken out from underneath us, we question everything, what we did, could do. We question our foundations, our connections and our faith.  

As I have said before, I will always be my worst critic, and when I fail, that critic is standing there saying “I told you so” and pointing an unforgiving finger, regardless of how unhelpful or belittling that action is. Regardless of whether it was justified or there was anything we could do different, we have to wrestle with the harsh change. 

That isn’t to say we can’t be hard on ourselves, but it is time for us to refocus and reinvent ourselves, (no matter how much we want to wrestle with God about what has happened.) Our future may look bleak, but in those moments, we ought and should ask ourselves what have we seen. 

I say these bits, not to gain sympathy, but because I think John, in today’s lesson, must be feeling something like that. 

John, who has been preaching from the wilderness, is now stuck in an awful prison.  John is suffering in prison because Herod doesn’t like what John has said. (Hopefully, our politicians don’t try to throw people into jail simply for speaking minds -or truth to power.)

It becomes natural for us, in moments like these, to question, “did I do or say the right things?” In fact, John raises serious doubts and is questioning Jesus. Ever done that?

Whether it is a need for confirmation or wondering how we got where we are, Jesus provides an answer through Isaiah. (Specifically to the disciples of John,) Jesus answers by praising the work of John, and calls upon John to witness again the power of Messiah through the beatitudes.

Still, John is questioning and Jesus answers as he does, with another question. “What have you seen?” What did you witness?

That is a great question! What did you witness and did you see and feel in your hearts?

That is the question that rises to the top in these moments because we question our faith and wonder if God is there for us. We question all that has transpired and whether it was real and whether we had our hearts in the right place. We have doubts.

From this lowly place, we can pick up the words of Isaiah to “be strong, do not fear!” God has been there, is there, and God will be there for us in the future.  If you look back on past trials, you will find that God has been there, and in this moment, this time, God is here - You are not alone!

Isaiah implores us to “strengthen weak hands and …feeble knees” despite how broken I feel today. The prophet tells us God will open our eyes and ears to witness with our full senses to find the joy of God is right there waiting. 

Beloved, that is what we need and that is what God provides for us. Whether in those lowly moments or just the moments of of our daily living, we can find God is there the whole time showing up in ways we didn’t think possible. 

Thus, we have a safe place, a safe way to go find ourselves and find our place in the realm of God. We have a safe place to bring our doubts and questions because God is big enough to hear them all, and God hears them all.

Yet the answer to our questions of whether we did what we were supposed or whether we said the correct things, the question remains for you and for me, “What did you see? What did you witness?”

So Beloved, take your doubts and questions with you and then find God there. Receive the holy spirit to relieve you and calm you today! Be full of love and grace of God!

“Be patient therefore beloved…Strengthen your hearts…”. God is near and ready to lift us from our depths and to help us see again and witness again the grace and love that has been pour out for us and be healed with God’s forgiveness. 

That Beloved is, 

Thanks Be to God