Advent Reflections Day 18: Arise and Lift Your Eyes for a Prophetic Vision, Spanning from the Arrival of Christ to the Birth and Growth of the Glorified Church.

 Isaiah 60:1-9

On the 18^th of December, only a week away from Christmas, Mary, together with her husband, Joseph, is bringing the incarnated Christ growing enough to be ready to come out at any moment nearer to us, as we are fine-tuning our preparation of him to come to our hearts.  As prophesized in Zechariah’s canticle, known as Benedicturs, Luke 1:68-79, the arrival of the incarnated Christ is regarded as the daybreak from heaven above (Luke 1:78). And once he arrives, from this daybreak from heaven on,  the great light in darkness (Isaiah 9:1) will break the darkness and shine on those who have been in darkness, including those in death’s shadow, and guide them into the path of peace – to redemption (Luke 1:79).

Now, what Zachariah has prophesized in Luke 1:76-9 is echoed in Isaiah 60:1-9.

Though we should be awakened on the First Sunday of Advent, once again, we ascertain that we are really awakened, not dormant.

So, “Arise! Shine, for your light has come, the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you!” (Isaiah 60:1), echoing Isaiah 9:1-2a, “The people who walked in darkness have see a great light; Upon those who lived in a land of gloom a light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing”.

As our eyes are vigilantly watching for the coming of the incarnated Christ, we will first see Mary, riding on a donkey, accompanied by her husband, Joseph.  Christ is still in Mary’s womb.  So, we stand and look as Abraham was looking up and saw three men to invite to his house (Genesis 18:2).

Though darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds, the peoples, upon you the Lord will dawn, and over you his glory will be seen (Isaiah 60:2).

As Zechariah has prophesized, the coming of Christ is the dawn from heaven (Luke 1:78), and it is the Lord God in the incarnated Christ to come as the dawn so that we can see the glory of God.

Nations shall walk by your light, kings by the radiance of your dawning.

Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you— Your sons from afar, your daughters in the arms of their nurses.

Then you shall see and be radiant, your heart shall throb and overflow.

For the riches of the sea shall be poured out before you, the wealth of nations shall come to you.

Caravans of camels shall cover you, dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; All from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and heralding the praises of the Lord.

All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered for you, the rams of Nebaioth shall serve your needs; They will be acceptable offerings on my altar, and I will glorify my glorious house (Isaiah 60:3-9).

Upon his arrival, Christ the light shines not only upon Israel (Isaiah 9:1-6) but upon all nations to bring everyone to Jerusalem, where he dies and rises to fulfill the prophecies for his salvific mission, this is echoed in Isaiah 2:2-3; 45:22; Psalm 22:27; 98:3.

So, this is a prophesized vision of unfolding effects of Christ’s arrival, the dawn from heaven above.

Many, even those as far as the ends of the earth will see  Christ the light and come to him, paying homage, as the Magi do (Matthew 2:1-12; cf. Psalm 72:11).

The daybreak from heaven above, the arrival of the incarnated Christ out of Mary’s womb will bring all people to Jerusalem, which represents Christ’s Church, as his body on earth (1 Corinthians 12:12-27), as his glorious light shine all the way to the ends of the earth.

So, in the above vision (Isaiah 60:1-9), we can see how the arrival of the incarnated Christ will lead to Pentecost, the birth of Christ’s Church and her growth to cover all the earth (Matthew 28:19).  There, we will become the glorified one body of Christ, the Church.

We are, indeed, not only to witness the arrival of the incarnated Christ as an early riser catch the moment of sunrise, but also to be apostolic instruments to bring people, who witness Christ, from all the ends of the earth, in the unity of one body of Christ, called the Church, symbolized with Jerusalem, where all gather for paying homage to Christ.

Are your eyes are lifted to witness the arrival of the incarnated Christ, the daybreak from the above, to bring all these unfolding effects to transform us as one body of Christ, the Church?