The Fourth Sunday of  Advent

We have come to the last stretch of the Advent Season, and still we have much to discover about the events that surround the remarkable birth of Jesus, Our Savior and King. We would have normally expected that such an important event would have been accompanied by fanfare and a cast of thousands. But instead the coming of Jesus Christ unfolded in a very modest and simple fashion. In fact, the Gospel of this Sunday from Saint Luke develops this point very clearly in a number of ways.

To begin with, God chooses a very small town called Nazareth barely known by the rest of the inhabitants of Israel. Nevertheless, it is here that Jesus would mingle with common average people and, connect with their value system. In such a town, it would also be easy enough for everyone to get to know you and even be part of your family circle. In some parts of the world today the reality of a small town still exists.

Without minimizing her tremendous worth in all of this scene, it is a young maiden by the

name of Mary  who is visited by an angel. She is only 13 or 14 and is  invited to take on an impossible dream, that of becoming the God –Bearer, the one who would miraculously give birth to Jesus , the Redeemer of the world. Talk about a shock for such a young girl! Can you imagine one of our teenage girls today, so taken up by Peoples Magazine or Entertainment Tonight, could be capable of accepting such a   tremendous challenge, such an upheaval in her life’s future plans? Yet, the whole history of salvation would hinge upon this young girl’s decision, and only this innocent maiden, from this little unknown town is called upon to carry the day.

Another simple way in which God enters this world of ours is by the birth of a very small baby. God could have come riding on great white horse with a legion of soldiers accompanied by angels, a blast of trumpets with clashing cymbals. But instead God chooses to come into the world as a small baby. 

Who can resist a baby, so vulnerable, and so defenseless, unable to walk, or to talk? But, again, is God not  trying to say something terribly important yet terribly simplistic, that some of the greatest things can  come in small packages? Given enough time to grow to be loved and encouraged, one can reach the heights of a great accomplishment no matter the insignificant personal history that we may have accrued.

Finally, the coming of Jesus also begins with one of the smallest words in our vocabulary, the word “Yes”.

After the angel Gabriel had assured Mary of how all of this could come to pass, a virgin birth, a conception by the Holy Spirit, there was a moment of silence, a gasp filled with unbelief. Yet the  humble response to becoming the mother of the Messiah and the Son of God was the

incredible and simple word “Yes”. With that 3 letter word “Yes”, the whole story of Redemption, and of Salvation was set into motion.

With the Birth of Our Savior, we are assured, with no small promise at all, that if we follow in His footsteps, we shall live forever more because of Christmas Day – in a city that would be  called the New Jerusalem , along with this young girl called. . . 

...Mary, who now is called  the Mother of all People, and with Jesus the Christ, Our Gentle Healer, singing and praising with one voice “Glory to Our Mighty God and  King!”   

                                                   Fr. Andre Patenaude, M.S.

                                                                                                       

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4th Sunday of Advent – December 21, 2014 His Holiness Pope Francis...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geA_saokHcA

The annunciation

II SAM 7:1-5, 8-12, 14-16; ROM 16: 25-27; Lk 1: 26-38

One of the most beautiful of the modern Christmas songs was written by a man who is best known, perhaps, as a comedian. His name is Mark Lowry. Lowry is also a musician of some note. He performed for many years with the Gaither Vocal band. In 1984 he was asked to pen some words for his local church choir, and he wrote a poem that began like this, “Mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water? Mary, did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?” A few years later guitarist Buddy Greene added a perfectly matching tune and a wonderful song was born. “Mary, did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod? Mary, did you know when you kiss your little baby, you kiss the face of God!” Each of the little couplets touches the heart in a wonderful way. “Mary, did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation? Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?” The song’s been around now for nearly two decades. Mary, did you know . . . ? How could Mary know what was happening to her when the angel Gabriel came to her long ago? Only Luke tells this story and we have it in today’s Gospel.

Introduction: Today’s readings focus on the circumstances leading up to the first coming of Jesus which sets the pattern for his coming to us now and at the end of time. The Gospel stresses the key role of Mary in the work of our salvation. Today’s Scripture texts describe God’s promise to David and its fulfillment in Jesus, the Son of David. They also tell us that God's preparation for the coming of Jesus was full of surprises. The first reading surprises us by telling of God’s promise to David that he would have a long line of royal descendants culminating with a final king, Jesus Christ. In the Responsorial Psalm, the Psalmist recalls all of God’s promises, and surprises us by describing God’s promise to David and his descendants in terms of a Covenant. Today’s Gospel surprises us by telling us that this King  would be born to an ordinary virgin, not by means of sexual relationship, but through the Holy Spirit, and that Jesus would become a descendant of David. This would occur through Joseph, Mary’s betrothed husband and the legal father of her son, as Joseph was "of the house of David." The Gospel narrative surprises us also by reminding us that God’s promise is best fulfilled not in buildings, or even great kings like Solomon, but rather in humble souls like Mary, who trusted in God’s promise.  The second reading also surprises us with Paul’s explanation of the unveiling of God's plan for human salvation through Jesus. Thus, the unfolding of God's plan of salvation though history has contained many surprises.

First reading (2 Sam 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16): The historical background: Moses had led God's people in their escape from Egypt around the year 1250 B.C. Joshua led them on an invasion of Palestine around 1220. Judges ruled them from 1200 to 1025. The last Judge, Samuel, anointed for them their first King, Saul, around 1030. David succeeded Saul in 1010. David’s first step was to capture Jerusalem from the Jebusites and make it the political capital of his kingdom. Once David had completed the building of his palace, he wanted a more beautiful house to accommodate the Ark of the Covenant representing God’s presence in the midst of His chosen people. For over 200 years, the Ark of the Covenant had been a "mobile shrine," kept in a tent so that it could be easily carried to any place to which the people moved or where Yahweh's special presence was needed. David wanted to build a special Temple in Jerusalem to house the Ark. He hoped that making Jerusalem the religious center of Israel would ensure the continued loyalty of all twelve tribes.

Though Nathan, the prophet, initially accepted the plan, as we heard in the first reading, he eventually returned to inform the king that Yahweh was more concerned with turning David's family into "His house" than with residing in a house Himself. In other words, God's presence in families is more important than is His presence in buildings. That is why the Lord spoke to David through his prophet Nathan and promised him a line of kingly succession. God said that David was not to build a house for God; rather God would build a house for David by establishing the family of David securely on the throne of Israel forever. God kept His promise for four centuries allowing the descendants of David to serve as kings of Israel in unbroken succession. But in the 6th century BC, the Babylonians conquered Judah and ended the succession of Davidic kings, prompting Israel to look for a different kind of fulfillment of God's promise to David. In other words, Israel began to look for the Messiah, a descendant of David who would come at the end of time to eradicate evil from the world.  We find the beginning of the fulfillment  of  this  hope  in  today’s  Gospel  where  the angel tells Mary that the son she is about to conceive will sit on "the throne of his father David, and reign over the house of Jacob forever" (Lk. 1: 32-33). The text reminds us that we are not on earth to do things for God, but to reflect and build on what God is doing for us.

Second Reading, (Romans 16:25-27): Since St. Paul had not founded the Church of Rome nor visited it earlier, his letter to the Romans  was a kind of introduction of himself to the Christians in Rome and a partial synthesis of his theology. The section of   Paul’s epistle which we read today is a prayer praising God for revealing through the Gospels "the mystery kept secret for long ages,” to all nations. In other words, God worked through His chosen people in the past, and He can and will work in and through the Gentiles by the risen Jesus. The Church has selected this prayer in the final week of our preparation for Christmas to remind us of the sublime facts commemorated at Christmas, namely, how, in becoming man, Christ elevated our nature by uniting it with his own Divine nature and made us adopted children of God with a claim to eternal life and the possibility of sharing in God's kingdom forever.

Exegesis: The context: Luke was a Gentile converted by St. Paul at Troas about the year 50 A.D.  Later, he became a fellow-worker with Paul in spreading the faith. Luke's Gentile Christian community lived a generation or more later than the apostles, after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in AD 70  Since they were not Jews, Luke had to explain to them how Jesus was the Messiah promised to the Jews by God through the prophets.  He also explains how the Messiah had his human origin while retaining his Divine nature.  In the Acts of the Apostles, he shows how Jesus continued to operate among his apostles and the early Church.  Hence, today, the  narrative of the infancy of Jesus in Luke’s Gospel was intended to teach the  Gentile converts their Christian heritage and to keep them focused on their new  religion's mission. This ”Annunciation" of the birth of Jesus  also established  Jesus in good-standing among the Jews, since King David, presented as Jesus’ ancestor, was the most revered early King and the original Messiah (literally, "anointed as king" and earthly savior of the nation of Israel).

The unique selection of Mary and Gabriel’s unique salutation:  In the two annunciations described in Luke’s Gospel, neither Elizabeth (Zechariah's wife) nor Mary appears to be a likely candidate for motherhood.  Elizabeth is too old and Mary is a virgin engaged to Joseph, of the house of David (v. 27). Joseph’s betrothal to Mary was   binding, and it made Mary his legal wife. The angel's salutation to Mary, “Hail, full of grace,” reminds us of God's words to Moses at the burning bush, "I will be with you" (Ex 3:12), the angel’s salutation Gideon, "The Lord is with you,  you  mighty  warrior"  (Jgs 6:12)  and  the  Lord's  assurance  to Jeremiah, "Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee" (Jer 1:8). Luke says that Mary is perplexed by Gabriel's words, "Rejoice, blessed one!"(Greek), translated as “Hail, full of grace.” Mary is described as "full of grace,” filled with God's favor and graciousness, something which she has in no way earned, but which was given as a gratuitous gift by God.   Mary is told by the angel Gabriel, the messenger of God that the Lord is literally with her. She is the new Ark, a tent and temple. God is literally and physically in her, and thus she is the greater house of God promised to David.

Mary’s perplexity versus Zechariah’s doubts:  Mary's question, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" is natural, very much like Zechariah's, "How will I know that this is so?  For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years" (1:18).  However, the angel struck Zechariah mute for his unbelief because Zechariah asked for a sign -- tangible proof that the angel was telling the truth.  Mary's question, on the other hand,   springs from an understandable confusion.  Mary is fully aware of the significance and consequences of the angel's message. In a flash, she recognizes the new challenges that will emerge in her betrothal and the crisis into which this pregnancy could throw both families (see Dt 22:13-21 and Num 5:11-31). That is why the angel reminds Mary, "Nothing is impossible with God."  He will "empower" her ("the spirit will come upon you") and "protect" her ("overshadow you"), two duties of a Middle Eastern husband. 

The Virgin Birth: In Luke’s Annunciation scene, we are face-to-face with one of the major doctrines of the Christian faith – the Virgin Birth.  There are two great reasons for accepting it.   (i) The clear literal meaning of this passage in Luke and Matt.1:18-25, is that Jesus was to be born of Mary without a human father.   (ii) It is natural to argue that if Jesus was, as we believe, a very special person, he would have a special entry into the world. Since this conception is the work of God's direct power, Mary's virginity is unaffected as is her integrity before her natural husband. "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you" (v. 35).  The word "overshadow" is also used at the Transfiguration (9:34) and in a story of Peter's healing ministry (Acts 5:15).  In all these places the verb clearly refers to Divine presence and power.   The angel makes it clear that the child "will be holy" and "will be called Son of God" (v. 35).  The word "virgin" appears three times in this passage, which shows that Luke clearly intends to emphasize Mary's sexual purity as seen in Jesus’ virgin birth.  

Son of David and Son of God: For Luke, the child would not only be a distant grandson of David -- he would be God's own Son. "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David "   On  several occasions,  Luke   uses the phrase " Most High"  to refer to God (1:76; Acts 7:48; 16:17), so that "Son of the Most High"  means  "Son of God."   Luke uses this title several times to refer to Jesus (1:35; 22:70; Acts 9:20).  "....  “He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end" (vv. 32b-33).  This is a fulfillment of the promise that God made to David, who wanted to build a Temple for God as described in today’s first reading.   God forbade David to build the Temple, but said, "The Lord will make you a house...  I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever" (2 Sm 7:11-13).  Knowing that David's son, Solomon, built a temple, it is natural to assume that the offspring who "shall build a house," refers directly to Solomon.  However, the complete fulfillment of the promise was not to be found in Solomon but in Jesus, since   Solomon built a Temple that stood for only  379 years (966 BC – August, 578 BC), whereas   Christ will build "a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Cor 5:1).  

“For nothing will be impossible with God.”   It is ironic that Zechariah, who asked for a sign, was punished (1:20), while Mary, who did not ask for a sign, was given one.  If Mary wanted to know how she could bear a son while remaining a virgin, she need only to look to her kinswoman Elizabeth who, despite her age, was pregnant.    If God could create new life in old woman, He could surely do the same in a young virgin.  “For nothing will be impossible with God" (v. 37).  Again, Luke adopts OT  language.  When the Lord announced the impending birth of Isaac, Sarah laughed.  The Lord responded by saying, "Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?" (Gn 18:14 -- see also Jesus' comment at Luke 18:27).  This is truly Gospel – Good News – for those of us who find ourselves in impossible situations.   As we walk with the Lord, however, no situation is beyond redemption. 

“May it be done to me according to your word.” Mary does not require confirmation, but responds in faith. She agrees to carry out the Word Gabriel has addressed to her. Her response again calls forth OT language -- Abraham's "Here I am" (Gn 22:1) -- Isaiah's "Here am I, send me" (Is 6:8) -- Hannah's "Think kindly of your maidservant" (1 Sm 1:18) -- Samuel's "Here I am" (1 Sm 3:4).  Raymond Brown says “Mary's response qualifies her as Jesus' first disciple.  Subsequent references to her are consistent with this pattern (Luke 1:45ff; 8:19-21; 11:27-28; Acts 1:14).  Her humble acquiescence to the will of God commends itself to every believer:  “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let what you have said be done to me." Mary is thus presented as the perfect disciple. Those who find out what God wants of them and accept His message as Mary did are Jesus' true followers. Those who only hear the Word but never put it into action are deceiving themselves. Christian Faith is a matter of continually making Jesus a part of our lives.  

The significance of Mary’s yes: Jesus' earthly existence begins with Mary’s “Yes” in today's account of the Annunciation.  Although we normally regard the birth of Jesus as the beginning of God's presence among us, the Church teaches that the conception of Jesus in Mary's womb by the power of the Holy Spirit took place at the moment that Mary agreed to be the mother of Jesus. If Mary had said “No,” instead of “Yes,” history might have been different – although we know that God's plans would not have been frustrated. Mary's “Yes,” changed the world. Her obedience to God's call changed the lives of all of us.   How many times have we said “No,” to God? How different would things be – for us and for others – if we had said “Yes,” to him more often?

The frightening consequences of Mary’s “Yes”: Mary's choice was no easy one. As a teenage girl, betrothed but not yet married to Joseph, she was being asked to become pregnant by a Heavenly Source. Betrothal was regarded as a full commitment to one's future spouse, and for such a girl to lose her virginity was tantamount to adultery, a sin punishable by death.

Life messages: 1) We need to say a courageous and generous “Yes” to God as Mary did.  True obedience comes from a free choice made in the light of what is true and good. It often requires a great deal of courage, because it can involve going against the tide of social expectations. True obedience also aims at putting oneself at the service of something/Someone that is greater than oneself by accepting what God clearly wants us to do or what He wants to do through us. Jesus' own moment of greatness, like his Mother’s, came when he said “Yes,” to his Father, and Jesus' own obedience is our model. Will we surrender to God and allow God to do what, from our human point of view, seems impossible?  Will we surrender our agenda, our will and our kingdom to God and allow God’s agenda, will and Kingdom become a reality for and through us?  It is by saying, with Jesus and Mary, a  wholehearted  and  totally  unconditional  “Yes,”  to  God  that Jesus will be re-born in me or maybe even born in me for the first time. By my saying “yes,” Jesus will be born or reborn in others too.

2) We need to try to learn God’s plan for our lives: The Good News in today’s Scripture message is not only that God is making provision for the salvation of His people, but also that He has a plan for each individual person. Just as God called Mary, He calls every mother to raise her child in the awareness of God’s  nurturing presence, His unconditional love and His guiding commandments.   In many cases, our work for God seems rather ordinary, but each ordinary task which we carry out, fits into God's plan in ways that we cannot yet understand. God desire not the skill of our hands, but the love of our hearts.  The Babe in the Manger reminds us of what God has done and is still doing for us. What are we doing in return? Let us show our gratitude to God by living as true followers of Christ: “Behold, here I am Lord, your humble and grateful servant. Let it be done to me according to Your word.”  

3) St. Francis said, "We are the mother of Christ when we carry him in our heart… and we give birth to him through our holy works which ought to shine on others by our example.”

Here is another De Mello story. The young hermit (sannyasi) came to the master in hermit robes and asked. "For years I have been seeking God. I have sought him everywhere that he is said to be: on mountain peaks, the vastness of the desert, the silence of the cloister, and the dwellings of the poor." "Have you found him?" the master asked. "No. I have not. Have you?" What could the master say? The evening sun was sending shafts of golden light into the room. Hundreds of sparrows were twittering on a nearby banyan tree. In the distance one could hear the sound of highway traffic. A mosquito droned a warning that it was going to strike…And yet this man could sit there and say he had not found God. After a while the young hermit left, disappointed, to search elsewhere. Since God can be found everywhere, we must continually look for Him and especially, perhaps in the most difficult places. That is why in the first reading today; God tells David that He cannot be contained in a man-made temple. As we prepare to celebrate the reality of Christmas, the feast of Emmanuel, (God-With-Us), let us be prepared to recognize the God whose presence can be known and experienced in the  distressing problems of life.

Source: Homilies of Fr. Anthony. Kadavil

https://www.youtube.com/user/vatican

Pope: God walks in history with us and adjusts it's course

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at Casa Santa Marta - OSS_ROM

18/12/2014 12:21

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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Thursday invited the faithful to rely on God even in the darkest hours, even if sometimes we do not understand how He is working, because he always walks with us in the history of Salvation.

The Pope’s words came during his homily at morning Mass in the Casa Santa Marta.

Listen to the report by Linda Bordoni: 

"God’s will has been to save us in history" - the Pope said - our Salvation "is not sterile, as in a laboratory. No! It’s history. He has walked through history with his people. "Therefore – he said - "there is no salvation without history. And to get to the point: history goes back a long time":

"And so, step by step, history is made. God makes history, we make history; and when we fail, God makes adjustments and sets history back on course, walking with us all the time. If this is not clear to us, we will never understand Christmas! We will never understand the Incarnation of the Word! Never! It’s a story that goes forward in time. 'Father, is history over with the story of Christmas?'; 'No! The Lord continues to save us in history. And he walks with his people. '"

In this story - Pope Francis continued – there are those chosen by God, those people that He chooses "to help his people to move forward," like Abraham, Moses, Elijah. For them "there are some bad times", "dark moments, awkward moments, bothersome moments". Perhaps they are people who just want to live peacefully, but "the Lord inconveniences them. The Lord inconveniences us to make history! So often he puts us on roads that we don’t want to walk". So much so that Moses and Elijah, at a certain point, would rather die, but then they trust in the Lord.

The Gospel of the day speaks of "another bad moment in the history of salvation", that of Joseph who discovers that his betrothed, Mary, is pregnant: "He suffers, he sees the village women chatting in the market; and he suffers. ‘This is a good one, I know her! She is a woman of God. What has she done to me? It’s not possible!” If he accuses her, she will be stoned. But that is not what he wants to do, even although he does not understand. He knows that Mary "is incapable of being unfaithful." "In difficult moments such as these" - the Pope said - "those chosen by God to make history, must take the problem on their shoulders, without understanding." Like that – he said - "the Lord makes history."

"That’s what Joseph does. The man who in the worst moment of his life, the most obscure, takes the problem upon himself. And he takes the blame in the eyes of others in order to protect his bride. A psychoanalyst could perhaps say that this dream of Joseph’s is the condensation of anxiety, which seeks to be expressed... let them say what they will. But what did Joseph do? After awaking from the dream he took Mary as his bride. 'I do not understand, but the Lord spoke to me and said she will give birth to a son who will appear to be my son!'".

"To make history with His people - the Pope said – for God means to walk and to put his chosen ones to test." In the end He saves them: "Let us always remember, with confidence, even in the worst moments, even in times of illness, when we realize we have to ask for the Last Rites because there is no way out, to say: 'Lord, history did not start with me and will not end with me! You go ahead, I am willing to come with you'. And to put ourselves in the hands of the Lord. "What then do those who are chosen by God teach us?

"That God walks with us, that God makes history, that God puts us to the test and that God saves us in the worst moments, because He is our Father. And according to Paul He is our daddy. May the Lord help us to understand this mystery of Him walking with His people in history, of testing His elected ones, as well as the greatness of their hearts as they take upon themselves the pains, the problems, even the blame for our sins – Let us walk forward with Jesus across history. "

(Linda Bordoni)