Saturday of the First Week of Advent
December 8, 2007
"In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the praise of his glory."
- Ephesians 1:11-12

God is the Unmoved Mover. What does that mean? God does not need to change, grow, expand or somehow be other than he is. What he is what has been and always will be. In the Old Testament he reveals himself as the Unmoved Mover when he reveals Moses his name, "I Am." St. Paul affirms this reality stating, "Jesus Christ is the same today, yesterday and forever."

As the Unmoved Mover, God moves us to choose life. He moves us from lives of sin to holiness, selfishness to service, pride to humility, independence to total dependence on him. There is a big "If", however, in God moving us. God will move us to the infinity of life he offers if we let him do so. Or, we can reject God's invitation and remain unmoved by the Unmoved Movers offer to celebrate non-stop life.

If you would, imagine a chess piece on chess board. One way of looking at this is that Jesus is that chess piece and you are moving him all around on it. You tell Jesus to go there, be quiet, you are not allowed here, do this, follow me etc. Remember when St. Peter did that. Jesus was predicting his passion for us and Peter tells the Lord of History that he doesn't have to suffer and die. How inane, a sinful disciple telling the Unmoved Mover what to do.

Now, imagine yourself as that chess piece and Jesus as the one who is doing the moving. The Unmoved Mover, the one who needs no change but brings about the change in everyone else, moves you, the chess piece, to non-stop life. Brothers and sisters, for this you were chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of His will.

Remember the Burger King slogan, "Have it your way!" Let us make that our mantra to Jesus. "Have it your way, Jesus. Whatever you want and whenever you want it. You are the Unmoved Mover and I am the chess piece. I know that it is the intention of your will to move me to celebrate overflowing, non-stop life. Move me in all the ways you want as I unconditionally say to you, Have it your way!"

P.S. I hope that your never look at a chess piece in the same way again. You are that piece that is to be moved by the Unmoved Mover!

We are infinitely blessed!

+ Fr. John