"Those who let their appetites take hold of them suffer torture and affliction like an enemy held prisoner." Saint John of the Cross

The O Antiphon for today is: "O Key of David, opening the gates of God's eternal kingdom, come and free the prisoners of darkness." If we are looking to welcome Christ in a fresh new way as he comes to us in the present moment, we need to walk in the light and not in the darkness of sin. Heed the word of St. John the Baptizer, "Repent! Open your lives to the Messiah who is in our midst." While darkness is the absence of light, the light can overcome the darkness. The darkness of sin prevents the light of grace to transform us. But repentance opens the door for the light to come. Come, Lord Jesus, come!

" O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: come to save us without delay!"

I like St.John of the Cross' refection on this O Antiphon. "What we need most in order to make progress is to be silent before this great God with our appetite and with our tongue, for the language he best hears is silent love. Jesus came to the world in the silence of the night and will continue to come to those are await him in the silence of love and adoration. The busy world did not receive him, only those, like Mary and Joseph, who longed for him in silent prayer. Come, Lord Jesus, come!

 

Homily Fourth Sunday of Advent Year C     

 

Reading 1: The prophet Micah centuries before the birth of Messiah prophesied that he would be born in Bethlehem. This was in keeping with the prophetic word before him, which said that the Messiah would be from the house/clan of Judah. Bethlehem was insignificant among the towns in Judah in size. However, it’s fame was the town which David the King had come from. Again the connection to the prophetic word of God, the Messiah will be of the house of David, of the house of Jesse, of the clan of Judah.

 

Micah further specifies two qualities of the Messiah in relationship to David. Like David he will be a king and like David he will be a shepherd caring for the flock of the Lord. The Messiah will be able to accomplish all because his strength is in the Lord. As a result, he shall bring peace to the earth.

 

This prophetic word was fulfilled by Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem and who said he was the Good Shepherd, whose kingdom is not of this world. The text from Micah was the text that the priests told Herod , when he inquired where the Messiah was to be born.

 

Gospel: Mary had experienced the appearance of an angel, who told her that though insignificant in the eyes of the world had been chosen to be the Mother of the Messiah. He told her that she would conceive the Son of the Most High by the power of the Holy Spirit. This Son would save his people from their sins. Mary without understanding his message submitted herself to God’s plan.

 

Mary was also told of another work of God. Her cousin, Elizabeth, who in her old age as conceived a son. Mary, not thinking about herself hastened to care for Elizabeth. Zachariah and Elizabeth were both insignificant in the eyes of the world. Yet the child to be born would be the greatest of all prophets before Jesus.

 

Elizabeth, by the power of the Holy Spirit confirms for Mary the message that the angel had revealed to Mary. She also confirmed that the child conceived by Mary was the Lord. Elizabeth’s prophetic word concluded with the confirmation of Mary’s decision to submit herself to fulfill the word of God to her.

 

In the eyes of the world, each of us is insignificant. Yet, God has done great and mighty things for us. Mary’s response was obedience to the plan of God. Elizabeth’s response was rejoicing in the Spirit for what God has done in her and in Mary. From them we learn what our response should be to all that God does in our lives.  We are called not only to say “Thy will be done” but to do the will of God consciously each day. We are called not only to recognize what God is doing, but to praise God privately and publically, proclaiming his mighty deeds of mercy and love.

 

Reading 2: Jesus made the hallmark of his mission on earth that of doing the will of the Father, even to become a sacrifice for our sake. “By this will” we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus once for all. The sin of Adam and Eve was choosing not to do the will of God, not to submit themselves to the plan of God, not to be dependent on God, but to seek to be equal to God. Jesus, in his humanity, came to rectify what was done by the sin of Adam and Eve. He did this by choosing to embrace the will of God even to death by crucifixion.

 

 

 

 

 "It is noteworthy that even though God has knowledge and understanding of all, and even sees the very thoughts of the soul, as Moses asserts [Dt 31:21], it is said when he provides a remedy for us in our needs that he sees them, and when he answers our prayers that he hears them. Not all needs and petitions reach the point at which God, in hearing, grants them. They must wait until in his eyes they arrive at the suitable time, season, and number, and then it is said that he sees and hears them." Saint John of the Cross

The O Antiphon for second day of our Christmas novena is: “O Adonai and Ruler the house of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: come, and redeem us with outstretched arms.”  In this prayer we recognize God as our Lord and Savior. As he redeemed us after a long time between the fall of Adam and Eve until the coming of the Savior, he doesn't always answer our prayers quickly. He delayed his redemption to show us how much he loved us in spite of of our sinfulness. So, if he delays in answering our prayers, it may be to show us his love in spite of our not understanding his ways.

 "Wisdom enters through love, silence, and mortification. It is great wisdom to know how to be silent and to look at neither the remarks, nor the deeds, nor the lives of others." Saint John of the Cross

As we begin our Christmas Novena, the Church has celebrated these days with what is known as the O Antiphons.  These recognize various titles of Christ in preparation of his coming. Today, it is Christ, our Wisdom. From him we learn in a personal way the love of the Father and the will of the Father for each of us. The scriptures tell us that authentic awe of God is the beginning of wisdom. This means that the more we praise the Lord for who he is, the more open we will be to know the mind of the Lord for us. "O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love, come to teach  us the path of knowledge!"

 "And this is clearly the reason: you first loved us so that we might love you--not because you needed our love, but because we could not be what you created us to be, except by loving you." William of St. Thierry

God called us into existence, so that we could share in his divine life eternally. Since God's life is one of mutual love, the only way we could share in his life is by living also a life of love. To do this, God first loved us. not because we were deserving of his love, but because of who he is. Thus, the commandment of Jesus is that love God with our whole being and love others as he has loved us. Advent is another grace-time to respond and grow in this call of God to love. If we want to receive Christ in a fresh new way this Christmas, then prepare a place in our hearts with acts of intentional love for God and others. And he will come.

 
"The liturgy of Advent...helps us to understand fully the value and meaning of the mystery of Christmas. It is not just about commemorating the historical event, which occurred some 2,000 years ago in a little village of Judea. Instead, it is necessary to understand that the whole of our life must be an 'advent,' a vigilant awaiting of the final coming of Christ. To predispose our mind to welcome the Lord who, as we say in the creed, one day will come to judge the living and the dead, we must learn to recognize him as present in the events of daily life. Therefore, Advent is, so to speak, an intense training that directs us decisively toward him who already came, who will come, and who comes continuously." St John Paul II

For most of us, Advent is a time to buy gifts for Christmas, put up festive lights, celebrate Christmas and then move on in our life. We are not that conscious of Christ's coming in the present moment of each of our lives and thus we are not preparing for his final coming in time for each of us. We miss the graces of his different comings in the present moments of our lives. We are too busy with life that we fail to recognized Life when he comes to us.  Only an attentive heart that is longing for Jesus will become sensitive to his presence. Mary Magdalene was searching for the body of Jesus at the empty tomb. Jesus comes to her as the Risen Lord, not a dead corpse. When  he speaks her name, she recognized that it was the Lord. That recognition resulted from her seeking him in love. Seek the Lord in love. Long for the Lord in love, so that your spiritual eyes may be able to recognize him in the present moment.