GOD’S LOVE
This is the fourth and last Sunday of this Advent season. It presents us with the theme of love: God’s love. Our hope, our peace and our joy are more anticipated and intensified than before. The fourth purple candle is lit to signify our joy, our peace, our hope together with God´s love undying for us. The focus is the Holy Family: Mary and Joseph which awaits the arrival of the God-child Jesus to be born. In a nutshell, Christmas is a feast of God´s love for falling humanity and his abundant grace to raise us up. It is a feast of restoration of falling humanity through Christ Jesus.
OUR THEME
The main focus of the readings of this Sunday on the promise of God of redemption to his people. The revelation of the Messianic secret through Christ Jesus, the fulfilment of God´s promise to his people. The fullness of God´s revelation came through Mary and Joseph through their willingness to cooperate with God salvific plan.
FIRST READING: 2 SAMUEL 7:1-5, 8-12, 14, 16
King David, the man after God´s heart had wishes and desire to build God a befitting dwelling. However, his goodwill was turned into an everlasting blessing for him. God promised him an eternal throne and kingdom which is fulfilled in Christ Jesus, King of kings; Lord of lords and Saviour of the world. Though, he, King David was not the one to build God a magnificent Temple, God in turn established and built for him a house forever.
The palmist in the person of King David in Psalm 88 sang the praise of God in thanksgiving- “Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.” This last Sunday of Advent calls to sing God´s praise and adoration in thanksgiving for Christ coming into our world, our lives and our hearts.
SECOND READING: ROMANS 16:25-27
St. Paul, apostle and evangelist finishing his very important letter to the Roman articulated the praise of the God whose salvation is revealed in Jesus Christ. This good news must be spread everywhere and among all people.
THE GOSPEL: LUKE 1:26-38
Saint Luke presents the all-important role of the Blessed Virgen Mary in the scheme of our Salvation. Mary who found grace with God was visited by the Archangel Gabriel, the Divine Messenger of God with an invitation to collaborate with God on what impossible in the eyes of Men but possible with God. Mary, without full understanding, said complete yes to God´s will.
Mary’s submission is a very lovely thing. “Whatever God says, I accept.” Mary had learned to forget the world’s commonest prayer–“Thy will be changed”–and to pray the world’s greatest prayer–“Thy will be done.”
Mary´s yes is full cooperation with God´s love to restore the fallen human race. When she said yes to God is on behalf of us, correcting our human fallen nature through Eve.
King David and the Blessed Virgin Mary are both faith models for us, their willingness to do great things for God. Their courage and generosity to say Yes to God in an overwhelming way.
In them, we don’t really need to understand God´s plan fully before we can collaborate with Him to bring about its fulfilment.
We need faith and trust in order to learn God´s plan or promise and to cooperate for its realization.
Advent prepares us to learn how to say yes to God as well as accepting to be Christ-bearers to our brothers and sisters. Like Mary did and show us to follow in our daily life of Christian witness.
This last Sunday of Advent makes us understand that there is no Christmas without Christ, the King, Lord and Saviour. And with Mary cooperating to do the will of God Christmas is all more possible.
MARY: OUR MOTHER, OUR MODEL
Mary, Mother of God and our mother shows us a concrete way to respond to God and to be an instrument of His Divine Will or Purpose. Mary was attentive to God´s inspiration at all times. She listens to God, dialogues with God, believes God, accepts God´s will,and obeys God to the full.
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, your coming into the world, our lives and our hearts was all possible due to the disposition of your great grandfather King David, Saint Joseph and your Mother Mary to be courageous, generous and willing to do God´s will. May we make this Advent and Christmas a season of doing your will to bring about the fullness of God´s Love to all men and women! Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus! Come! Amen
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