Seeing incredible things

Reflection for the second Monday of Advent

“Struck with awe, they said, ‘We have seen incredible things today.’” Lk 5:17-26

These words came from the mouths of people who had witnessed Jesus cure a paralytic. It’s a memorable story. People brought the paralytic to Jesus on a mat. The doorway was too crowded to enter, so they lowered him through the roof. Even with this tremendous act of faith, Jesus then does the unheard-of and forgives the man’s sins. That provokes not awe, but grumbling. He then tells the paralytic to rise, take up your mat, and go home. Which he does to the amazement of the skeptical crowds. This prompted some to exclaim, “We have seen incredible things today.”

Sometimes it takes a lot to bring around a skeptical crowd. Advent, however, is a time to lose our skepticism and see ‘incredible things’ every day.

The photo is one of two eagles perching near my house, one of those ‘incredible things’ I saw last week. When I was young, bald eagles were one of the first to be added to the endangered species after their population plummeted because of the use of the pesticide DDT. I still remember the public service announcements showing first someone shooting at an eagle in the sky, and then pan over to an Indian with a tear running down his cheek. It was a powerful image. Seeing the resurgence of the population of bald eagles is an ‘incredible thing’, especially for a skeptical generation who firmly believed they were lost forever.

Seeing incredible things is not just reserved for the circumstances surrounding a miraculous healing, or an astonishing recovery of an endangered species, or even getting a sighting of a majestic creature like the bald eagle.

Advent is a time to see ‘incredible things’ in the ordinary, to open our eyes to see the mighty and mysterious hand of God at work in all facets of our life. The eternal Word was made flesh and now dwells among us. As the prophet Isaiah says, “See, I am doing something new. Do you not perceive it?” (43:19)

During this holy season where we celebrate the incarnation of Emmanuel, God-with-us, shed the skepticism and look for those unexpected surprises you previously took for granted. Then let your Advent goal each evening to say, “I have seen incredible things today.”