Advent Reflections Day 14 (13th December 2025)

First reading: Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11
Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19
Gospel: Matt 17: 9a, 10-13

In the first reading, we see the testament of the life of Prophet Elijah, a man of Fire. As recorded in verse 1, “the prophet stood up as a fire and his words burnt like a torch.” So here, we may ask how much of God’s words burns in our hearts, bringing the word for the season that will also burn in the hearts of others who hear it. He was a man who by God’s word, shut up the heavens and it didn’t rain, he also brought down fire from heaven. This reminds me of the popular song “God of Elijah, send down Fire”

James 5:17-18 tells us that
“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.”

We can see his great faith in God and his words. So the word of God that burns in our heart and that which has mingled with our spirit is the one that produces results, meaning that we believe and so we receive. Now we ask ourselves, how well do we believe, or have great faith in his word, does his word burn in our hearts, and when we pray, do we believe?

In Matt 17:20- “So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”
So we can see, the impossible can be achieved with faith even as little as a mustard seed.

When we pray, we need to believe that we have received and we shall have what we asked for. This is faith in action. In Mark 11:22- “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”

In this season of Advent, we are called to build our faith in God and his words because the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us. This is what we celebrate, the coming of Christ at Christmas. We are not only to have faith, but also to allow his word to dwell richly in our spirit and may the seed of God’s word be planted in our hearts to bear fruits that will last, amen.

Written by Sis Winifred Ogwu