Delivered by Charlene Mahadi from the Parish of Santa Maria Kusumah Karmel in the Archdiocese of Jakarta, Indonesia. Isaiah 26: 1-6; Rs psalm 118: 1.8-9.19-21.25-27a; Matthew 7: 21.24-27.

STRONG FOUNDATION OFFAITH

The title for our meditation today is: Strong Foundation of Faith. Ourmain theme in Advent is waiting for the Lord's coming. By nature, we don't feel comfortable and become anxiouswhile waiting something or someone. Promises and hopes are always considered asblessings, however, waiting for theirrealizations often frustrate us. So the important advice is that we should havea strong foundation of faith. Waiting with strong faith is for us a must.

We humans are always caughtin this situation: we are obsessed and illusioned by promises, even the great ones. The issue is whether the promise is actuallyrealized, it helps shape our imagination. But it is hoped that this obsessionshould not become a wild adventure and consume our consciousness. If we imaginea realization of hope that is not accompanied by faith or trust for the hope tocome true, we become people who suffer so terribly.

What's important is arealistic attitude. Advent presents us with the promise of meeting the Lord,and at the same time we are always confronted with everyday reality full ofchallenges and struggles. Today’s Word of God presents challengesthat are not easy for us. There are at least two, namely, first, strengtheningour faith with a strong foundation and building an eternal Rock that Isaiahpreaches in the first reading, and the second is beingready to face temptations, threats, tests, difficulties and sufferings.

The positions ofthese two challenges must remain as such. The first does not become the secondand vice versa. The foundation of a strong faith must be first. God's Word, allof His commandments and the Christianvirtues are the useful means for strengthening faith. This aspect must beconstituted in such a way as to meet its standard such as mustard seeds whichbecome useful for all who enjoy it, yeast that develops dough, salt thatpreserves continually, and light that dispels darkness. Achieving this standardmeans we are ready and brave to face challenges, and look forward to therealization of the promise.

Problems arise whenthis order is reversed: first having or experiencing challenges, sufferings, ordifficulties, then looking forward ways to strengthen one's faith. Are not manyof us find ourselves in this situation as we have problems or encounter difficulties,only then we preouccupy ourselves to find outsome particular scriptural passages or reciting some good prayers as means ofhelp? This question represents all human attitudes, who have sickness firstthen seeking medicine, difficulty first then praying, sinning first and thenconfessing sins, and so on. These are all direct effects of a lifestyle that istoo much obsessed with promises. To prevent this, we need to always strengthenour faith.

Let's pray. In the name of the Father... Father of mercy, grant us the Spirit of strength so that we may becomestronger and firmer in our faith in our daily lives. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit ... In the name of the Father ...