We come to the fourth Sunday of Advent which will carry us right into the Vigil of Christmas this evening. Today we hear one more time the proclamation of the promise fulfilled. In our first reading from Samuel, God speaks to David through the prophet Nathan. Nathan tells David that God will build a house and a kingdom and a throne from his line that will “endure” and “stand firm forever” ( see 2 Samuel 7:16). The psalmist echoes God’s promise that he will establish his “throne for all generations” (see Psalm 89). And in today’s Gospel, the proclamation of the Archangel Gabriel rings aloud again to Mary the fulfillment of God’s promise:
“Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:31-33).
As the sun sets this evening, the readings of Advent will come to a close for another year. They have been our guide to relive the promises that God has made to his people through all generations that he has created a people for himself to be loved and to love. This evening and tomorrow we are invited to celebrate again the fulfillment of this promise that God chose a specific time and place to establish his kingdom on earth through the heir of David, and as Gabriel said, he is the one who was called Jesus – the one who saves.
Our loving God and Father has sent his Son to come close, to enter the fullness of our humanity to free us from our sin. Jesus came close to forgive us and lead us back into relationship with his Father through the love of the Holy Spirit. With the celebration of the coming of our savior into the world this evening, we celebrate the coming of the invitation to our redemption and salvation.
Jesus has come to save us, but as we have seen, we like Mary in her encounter with Gabriel, are given the choice. As with Mary all of creation held its breath awaiting her response to collaborate in the incarnation of our savior. This day and this night, creation holds its breath yet again as we are to choose again. Do we trust in Jesus or not? We can dismiss this accounting as a mere happening from the past or embrace the reality that each day Jesus comes to be a light in the darkness and invites us to collaborate with him in establishing his kingdom that “will endure” and “stand firm forever.”
Will we come to Mass today and tonight or tomorrow or not? Will we come in body only, just to fulfill an obligation? Or will we come with our hearts and minds wide open with great anticipation to encounter the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He who is the Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, God from God and Light from Light, will come close to us again as he did in that manger so many years ago, but now in an even more humble way. Through our gifts of bread and wine and then through the sacrifice offered by the priest, Jesus will be made present again in his Body and Blood so we can receive him.
We are invited to receive and consume him or receive him through a blessing and allow God to happen through us. Our redemption and salvation, our entrance into the kingdom of heaven, begins and continues each time we say with Mary, “May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).
With our yes, we receive God’s forgiveness, healing, love and mercy. We are made new each day and grow in our relationship with our savior and Lord and will reign with him forever and ever!
Photo: Mary at St. Rose Catholic Church, East Hartford, CT.
Spiritual Stepping Stones 