Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand. — Luke 21:28 

Mass Readings: Malachi 3:1-4,23-24 / Luke 1:57-66 

Quiet Bombs 

When Malachi announces that Elijah will herald the “great and terrible day” of the Lord (Mal 3:23), we can let our cinema-soaked imaginations get carried away. We imagine the planets aligning like in 2001: A Space Odyssey or some world-shattering special effects disaster like 2012 or some other spectacle like a huge host of armies clashes in epic battle like in The Lord of the Rings.  

But, in fact, when “Elijah” came to announce the Messiah almost nobody noticed. A huge and very quiet bomb went off in the middle of the busy world. The loudest noise was a baby’s cry (John’s), heralding the cry of another Baby the world would overlook: Jesus. And yet, with these two births, nothing would ever be the same. The kingdom does not come with flash, but with quiet power and truth. 

Prayer: Father, thank You for the silent and solid truth of Your Kingdom.