Fourth Sunday of Advent
2 Sam 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16, Rm 16:25-27, Luke 1:26-38
It is God who reaches out to us! It is God who wants to save us and offers us salvation. So often we think about what we can do for God without reflecting on his infinite and tender love for us. The first reading today, from the Second Book of Samuel, tells us about King David wanting to build a temple for the Lord. Instead, the Lord reminds King David that He, the Lord, is the one who has done everything and who will keep the House of David forever.
This is not pride on the part of God! Rather, it is God reminding us that He comes to save us. All of our actions are in response to His love and His compassion.
The second reading, from the Letter to the Romans, tells us again that everything that happens is a mystery and part of God’s love for us from the beginning of time. The purpose is to bring about an obedience of faith. In our times, the word obedience is not very popular and sounds to many to be a form of subservience. Yet in the plan of God, obedience is a faithful listening to the Lord and a willingness to do things His way. Instead of creating subservience, it creates a complete freedom in our love to know His love and to express that love to others.
The Gospel today, from Saint Luke, is the Gospel of the Annunciation. We can only imagine the surprise of the young woman, Mary, when an angel appears to tell her that she will be pregnant! We are so accustomed to this story that it can easily lose its power. Here is a young woman, striving to be faithful to the Jewish traditions. Out of nowhere comes an angel, telling her that she will be pregnant and bear the Son of God.
In faith, Mary relied on God and not on herself. Her “yes” to the Lord on the day that the angel visited her was the result of an entire life built upon saying “yes” to God in small, everyday situations of her life.
In Each of the important events in Mary’s life, the writers of the gospels are quick to point out that Mary, though not understanding why things happened, would ponder the events in her heart. She treasured the things God did for her, and she spent time in prayer and reflection over them. As a result, her life flowed out of trust in what God had promised for her and through her son, Jesus.
Every day, we have the opportunity to imitate Mary in her love for God by pondering who he is and the marvelous promises he has given us. As we draw close to Jesus in our prayer today, we too can be empowered to say “yes” to him in our everyday situations. Every act of love and trust points to the hope we have in God’s promises. Every act of faith builds the kingdom of God. We encourage one another every time we are obedient to the Lord, and every time we sit at Jesus’ feet and allow him to fill us with his love.
The readings today invite us to open our hearts and our minds to the supernatural, to the presence of God, to seek His will and to be willing to look foolish in the eyes of the world for striving to live in union with the God who loves us. The birth of Jesus confirms God’s love for us. We await the coming of the Lord.
Peace and all good!
Fr. Valery Burusu
Parochial Administrator