December 20, 2015

4th Sunday of Advent C Micah 5: 1-4; Hebrews 10: 5-10; Luke 1: 39-45 We have five days to complete our preparations for Christmas. If I asked the question, ‘Are you ready for Christmas?’ I’m sure most would say, ‘NO!’ If I asked the question, ‘Are you spiritually ready for Christmas?’ I have a feeling that most would hesitate…wondering what it means to be ‘spiritually ready’. If I switched the question around and asked, ‘Do you believe in Christmas?’ I’m sure that a huge percentage of people would say, ‘Of course…absolutely.’ If I continued and asked, ‘What do you believe that Christmas is all about?’ I would get a vast variety of responses. Many would include that it’s about Jesus’ birth…a number would include some sort of reference to Dickens ‘Christmas Carol’. So many would include the giving of gifts, Christmas greeting cards, family gatherings and sharing. If I asked, ‘How strong is your belief in Jesus?’ Most would say, ‘Its pretty strong.’ If I then stated that ‘Christmas is about you and Jesus; about God’s love for you and God’s constant desire for you to realize that He is with you every moment leading you closer to Him.’ I’m not too sure what the responses would be. We seem very hesitant to talk about our faith. It’s an accepted fact that most people do not talk about how much money they have in the bank, how they voted or about their faith. Why is this so? Am I afraid that my faith is not strong enough? Am I afraid that I don’t pay that much attention to my faith? Do I feel that at this time I am busy about so many things and I do not take enough time to work on my faith? Then I might think that faith is a ‘thing’ versus faith being a belief, a conviction that God is present to me and God loves me just the way I am right now. In the Gospel, Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth. And immediately Elizabeth shared her faith, her love story of God. Living the Word, Scripture Reflections and Commentaries for Sundays and Holy Days shares these beautiful words and deep reflections, “John leaped in Elizabeth’s womb. Elizabeth called Mary blessed because Mary believed that the words of God’s promise would be fulfilled. She believed. We are five days from Christmas. The days can be hurried. The nights can be harried. Yet the promise of joy is in the air. We celebrate the time when God’s promise of peace begins to be fulfilled. Do we believe that ours is the time of fulfillment? Do we believe that God’s promised justice and peace, light and hope, mercy and visitation are meant for us? Do we believe that God’s will for us is to know God-with-us, Emmanuel, every day? Do we believe that our believing this promise can lighten the darkness and lessen the evil that surrounds us and fill our world?” Luke is the only Gospel writer that contains the full account of the birth of Jesus starting with the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist, through the announcement of the birth of Jesus, continuing through today’s visit of Mary to Elizabeth, Mary’s response of the ‘Magnificat,' the birth of John and the canticle of Zechariah, John’s father. It continues with the birth of Jesus and the visit of the Shepherds, the circumcision and naming of Jesus, His presentation in the Temple, the return to Nazareth and the boy Jesus in the Temple. Luke is recounting these events and we can pass over them so quickly that as in today’s event we have two miracles that we don’t take time to reflect on. With Mary and Elizabeth we have two women who ‘cannot’ bear children. Then there is the dangerous trip of a teenage Mary through the hill country. Luke is preparing us for another miracle, the Incarnation, the birth of Jesus. Each one of these events clearly show the presence and the action of the Holy Spirit. Philip McBrien in The Word of the Lord describes it in this way, “Most of all, these events illustrate the action of the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who has imparted life to Mary’s virgin womb . The Spirit stirs Mary to make a risky, even foolhardy journey through the hill country, the home turf of robbers and murderers. When Mary arrives, the Spirt fills Elizabeth, and the baby in her womb leaps for joy. Elizabeth is also graced to understand that the mother of the Lord has come to visit her. Subtly, with masterful strokes, Luke describes the Holy Spirit as the motivating force underneath the gospel. Extraordinary things happen when the Holy Spirit touches human lives.” And these messages are specifically meant for you and me today…that’s how important and special we are to God. Look at how the Sprit has been operating: why did you choose to pick up this blog today and read it? Why do your Christmas Cards say, ‘we send these special greetings and thanks to ‘YOU’ for all you have done to us and for us. The gifts echo the same sentiments, ‘It is so hard to shop for you but we picked this out especially for YOU because you are so an important part of our lives.’ Could YOU please find time to come to our party we would love to have YOU.’ The Christmas message is for you and for me INDIVIDUALLY. Each one of us is important and this season shows us that; but even more special is that each one of us is important to God just the way we are right now. Each of us is a part of God’s ‘grand design’ for the world. We don’t figure how that can be because we say, ‘Who am I?’ We feel great some days, feel that we are important and loved and that we touched some others. There are days we can feel a big part of the world when everything is going our way or the ‘right’ way. Then the days of confusion come when our belief is severely challenged: terrorist’s attacks, infants dying, natural disasters, starvations, innocent bystanders gunned down by a madman, jobs are lost, a loved one dies and it seems that life is filled with chaos and no answers. THE READINGS today tell us there is a GRAND PLAN behind all this—God’s plan. Many times it is hard to comprehend but it is part of God’s plan. Do I trust God? Do I really believe that God can bring all this craziness to fruition? Do I believe that God’s blueprint for the universe is one that is good, loving, true and perfect? Mary believed! Elizabeth believed! For me to believe means that I have to accept the sweet and sour moments of life as part of God’s plan. It means that God wants me where I am to be HIM to my world that is so in need of His love. How else can my world see this unless they see it in me? So I reflect on: • What did Micah’s audience expect the Messiah to do and to be? • How can the story of Mary and Elizabeth teach me about the movements of the Spirit in my life? • How can I bring hope and joy to those around me in pain and confusion? • To whom do I go when I am confused and in pain? Am I afraid to say that I am in need, please help me? Sacred Space 2016 says: “Elizabeth is given the special grace of an intimate insight and appreciation of what is happening and who is really present. Do I always appreciate what is happening and who is really present? When I encounter someone for the first time, do I perceive and respect that person as a son or daughter of God? What about the people I meet on a day-to-day basis?” So what are we to do during these last rush days? Living the Word concludes their reflection with these words: “Believe it or try to live as if you believe today. Let God’s love fill you. Christ’s light shine though you, and the peace of the Spirit surround you so clearly that people say of you and me, ‘Blessed are you who believe that what was spoken to us by the Lord would be fulfilled.’ Visit someone who gives you hope. Leap for joy in honor of the Visitation of Elizabeth and Mary. Make clear that God is with us.