This Fourth Sunday of Advent our historical and spiritual “GPS” guides us to Bethlehem and to Mary. This place and this person are real, and they have been proclaimed from of old by the Prophets of God. The true and great meaning within that prophetic witness can now be seen and heard as never before!
Lighting the fourth Advent candle, we mark not only in that candle flame but in the flame within our hearts that we are on the verge of something great! Yes, Christmas...yes, the remembrance and proclamation that a Savior has been born and given to us ...yes, that we pull out the stops to give voice to our faith, gifts to those whom we love, a meal with family or friends that says we have something most special to celebrate this day!
But the realities of Bethlehem and Mary compel us not only to look back into Salvation History, but to look forward as well. The place, the people and the time of our lives are part of this history, too. To Mary, her cousin, Elizabeth speaks works of faith and encouragement:
“Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
Luke 1:45
Blessed are we who believe, especially when circumstances might discourage us from doing so. Elizabeth says what she does because she, like Mary, is marveling at a reality that is quite unexpected, and in her case quite against the odds. She sees both the joy and challenge with which her cousin, Mary will live. Given the chance, God’s gracious plan for us shakes things up! If we are on the verge of the wonder of Christmas, we are even more on the verge of light breaking darkness, love tearing down walls, peace getting the better of our arguments great and small. We are on the verge of Kingdom!!!
Fr. Tom