A Cure for the Wandering Heart

The Fourth Sunday in Advent – December 23, 2018

First Reading: Micah 5:1-4a

Psalm: Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19 (4)

Second Reading: Hebrews 10:5-10

Alleluia: Luke 1:38

Gospel: Luke 1:39-45

A Cure for the Wandering Heart

One of my favorite hymns is Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing by Robert Robinson.

It is a hymn of aspiration wanting God to provide a way to keep us close to Him and to guide us safely home while recognizing that it will be a daunting task because we have wandering hearts that have a hard time staying focused on God as our hearts desire. A portion of a verse below shows his struggle and his plea to God to provide a cure.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love.
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it. Seal it for Thy courts above.

Today’s readings are about God’s cure for the wandering hearts in Israel and in us today in events leading up to the birth of His Son, our King and Shepherd, on Christmas Day.

The first reading is from the Book of the Prophet Micah where he has finished pronouncing judgement against Judah and its leaders for their wandering hearts and the sins it causes and is now declaring God’s plan for salvation for them in the form of a ruler who is origin is from of old, from ancient times.

I can imagine the Israelites saying, “How long, O Lord?” And the Lord says, “until the time when she who is to give birth has borne.” In other words, when Mary has borne her son, Jesus. 

And the rest of His kindred shall return to the children of Israel. The Catholic Haydock Commentary sees the rest of His kindred as possibly referring to the Inclusion of the Gentiles.

This new ruler will stand firm and shepherd His flock by the strength of the Lord, in the majestic name of the Lord, His God. In other words, with God’s power and authority.

The result of this king’s reign will be that His people will remain and no longer wander for His greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth and he shall reconcile them to God and be their peace. This prophecy encompasses the entire reign of Jesus from His first coming through His Second coming and on into eternity.

The selection from Psalm 80 seems to be embracing this Messianic prophecy using many of the same thoughts. We cry out in response Lord, make us turn to you; let us see Your face and we shall be saved. And they will see God’s face in Jesus.

The writer to the Hebrews in the second reading contrasts the old covenant with the new covenant in that God gives the Messiah, the Christ, a body to offer once for all in order to consecrate us to God. The characteristic of Christ and His new covenant is the declaration, “Behold, I come to do Your will.” Not our will but His, in accordance with the Our Father.

The Alleluia and the Gospel reading celebrate the trusting, consecrating obedience of Mary, the One who is to give birth, as she embraces God’s will for her life, setting aside her own to become the mother of Jesus, our Ruler and Shepherd.

What is the cure for the wandering heart? It is a path, following Jesus and Mary and all the Saints on pilgrimage to the Father’s house where we will find our hearts’ desire in its fullness.