The process of sifting grain is quite an amazing process to watch.  A pile of grain is poured into a wide flattened bowl.  Then it is tossed into the air repeatedly, the sifter employing both gravity and air to separated the light chaff from the heavy grain.  In the end, the floor is covered in dry bits of grass and husks that were easily blown away by the shear movement of the air, while the bowl itself holds only the weighty grains that will be transformed into food and nourishment. 

This image offered by Matthew in today’s gospel reminds us that in our faith, we are also not meant to be lightweights, people whose faith is superficial and without substance.  Superficial faith, the faith of chaff, is easily manipulated by popular opinion, mere emotion or fatigue, or even by prejudice, hatred, and false or incomplete concepts of God and ourselves.  It can make us believe that the relationship of faith is merely the relationship between ourselves and God, and that there is nothing to be done on our part except to make a personal internal ascent to Him, or that we have to do everything to please Him. 

Instead, God wants us to be full with Himself, to be heavily rooted in His mystery, because God Himself is not superficial, but deep and abiding.  He is not swayed to falsehood, because He himself is truth and love.  And he is not exclusive, but all encompassing, and all embracing.  He asks us to be the same way, to be his image and likeness in the world.  We are invited to not merely be aware of Him, or to treat Him as a divine gift bearer who is apart from us, but to allow Him to dwell within us and truly transform us so that we might also be more loving and more truth-filled with others around us.

We experience this reality sacramentally each time we celebrate the Eucharist together.  We become full with Christ who fills us with his Word, with His Body and Blood, and with his presence in our sisters and brothers with whom we share this Holy Sacrifice. And we do this as the Body of Christ.

As we continue to celebrate this great season of Advent, may we allow God to make our daily lives be the liturgy that we celebrate, that every aspect of our lives may be filled by Him.

Fr. Emiel Abalahin, O.Carm.