Hand full of justice

 Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent

Your praise, like your name, O God,
reaches to the world’s end;
your right hand is full of justice.
Psalm 48:8

As we pass the midway point of Advent, the sense of urgency increases. In my church context, I experience this in the kind of calls I am receiving: people wanting to donate to our food pantry, people with clothing and toys for children, people offering to pay a bill for someone in need. What they want from me is a yes. Yes, I can accept their gift and usher it along its way.

Giving is a sacred act—so is honoring the need of the giver to give. Each time I answer such a call, I feel my heart expand with the wonder of God’s reach in the world. And whether they know it or not, these strangers are also aiding justice. They know the world is not fair and reasonable, and they want to do something about that.

As we await the arrival of the Prince of Peace, this year especially I do not want to lose sight that this is our savior, who comes to establish justice and righteousness. If we fully commit to the journey toward Bethlehem, we are compelled to keep traveling the salvation road. We also are called to become bearers of justice in the world.

Sculpture, "Together for Peace and Justice" Ensemble pour la Paix et la Justice by Xavier de Fraissinette, in the Parc de la Tête-d’Or in Lyon, France

Image by Ben Kerckx from Pixabay