FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

[cappie]

 

On this last Sunday before Christmas, the Church's Liturgy reveals the true identity of our Redeemer:

He is, as today's First Reading says, the "ruler...whose origin is from...ancient times." He will come from Bethlehem, where David was born of Jesse. God promised that an heir of David would reign on his throne forever  

Jesus is that heir, the One the prophets promised would restore the scattered tribes of Israel into a new kingdom  He is "the shepherd of Israel," sung of in today's Psalm. From His throne in heaven, He has "come to save us."

Today's Epistle tells us that He is both the Son of David and the only "begotten" Son of God, come "in the flesh".  He is also our "high priest," from the mould of the mysterious Melchisedek, "priest of God Most High," who blessed Abraham at the dawn of salvation history/

All this is recognized by John when he leaps for joy in his mother's womb. Elizabeth, too, is filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. She recognizes that in Mary "the mother of my Lord" has come to her. We hear in her words another echo of the Psalm quoted in today's Epistle (see Psalm 2:7). Elizabeth blesses Mary for her faith that God's Word would be fulfilled in her.

"Equal justice under law" is the phrase that expresses our hope that all people will be treated equally.
 
While the law might try to treat all people the same way, we often do not. Though we might not readily admit it, we rank people differently and treat them accordingly. As a society we are very status conscious.
 
For example,  we judge the CEO of a company as more important than the ordinary worker. We place entertainment celebrities and athletes on levels far above their fans. We place our military personnel in clearly defined categories that show their rank and grade. And we even think of ourselves as having a certain status in society.
In this Sunday's Gospel (Luke 1:39-45), we meet a woman who surprisingly did not act according to the status and position that were rightfully hers.
 
When Mary was told by the angel that she had been favoured above all women to be the mother of the Saviour, she was also told that her cousin Elizabeth was in the sixth month of an unexpected pregnancy. In response, Mary immediately "set out and travelled to the hill country in haste" so she could assist Elizabeth in the last months before the birth of her son, John.
 
When Elizabeth saw Mary at her door, she was astounded. Elizabeth asked, "And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"
 
Elizabeth knew that Mary certainly outranked her in importance. If anyone should have been making a trip, Elizabeth should have gone to the home of Mary. As Elizabeth said of Mary, "Blessed are you among women."
 
But Mary was not status conscious, she went to assist Elizabeth. Mary's humility astounded Elizabeth and it continues to impress us today.
 
The wonderful feast of Christmas that we will soon celebrate sets before us the highest example of someone not acting according to status and position.
 
 In Acts, St. Paul says that “God is that in which we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28) Mary reminds us that we are how God lives and moves and brings about God’s will in the world.

It is not through magic, but through a human being. Through Mary, and her child Jesus, and with the help of the Holy Spirit through apostles, prophets and martyrs – and even through us – that God transforms God’s dream of shalom into the reality of God’s realm of justice and peace.

And just like Mary though little, we are enough. Each of us is enough to magnify God. Imagine what would happen if we let God work. If we truly made room for God to be born in our hearts. If we let God magnify the good work that God has begun and is already doing in each of us.  

The Fourth Sunday of Advent shows us that Mary did not act according to the rank and status that were appropriately hers, nor did her Son.  Mary marks the fulfilment not only of the angel's promise to her, but of all God's promises down through history. As we prepare to welcome Christ once more into our hearts and our homes, may our souls magnify more and more the glory of God and our hearts exult in the goodness of God, this day and always.