Many prophets and kings desired to see what you see.

Each year at the start of Advent I am transported back to some of my earliest and fondest memories. I’m the oldest child in my family, and up until the age of nine had three sisters. I remember having a visceral longing to have a brother, a desire deeply felt but rarely spoken; I simply didn’t have the knowledge or understanding of where babies came from at the time. I knew what I wanted, but didn’t know how to ask for it. I didn’t know I could ask for it. Then, on December 3rd, the Feast of St. Francis Xavier, (also the first Sunday in Advent that year) my brother Francis was born. Alleluia!

From then on, we celebrated the arrival of my brother at the start of Advent, and the arrival of Jesus at Christmas. It was always a season filled with great rejoicing.

Today’s Gospel reading begins “Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit.” What exactly was he rejoicing about? The Gospel continues with a message that might be perceived as contradictory, or at least unexpected, as Jesus discusses things “hidden from the wise and intelligent,” but “revealed to infants.” How can this be? Surely the wise and intelligent have the upper hand, don’t they? Not so fast!

Decades later, it isn’t hard for me to return to my nine-year-old-self and remember what was revealed to me the day my brother was born.

I remember having a sense of awe and wonder. I remember feeling that God had heard my inchoate prayers, from the deepest part of me, and those prayers had been miraculously answered. I remember being filled with overwhelming gratitude. I remember the love that surrounded me and seemed to multiply exponentially. These are not the memories of the wise and intelligent, but of a child, young and innocent.

The Gospel today concludes with Jesus telling the disciples “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."

When I hear these enigmatic words, I’m reminded of all the blessings in my life—my brother, my sisters, my parents, my wife, our children, all of God’s creation. I’m reminded of the presence of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, accompanying me and animating my life. Miracles surround us, and blessed are the eyes that see.