HOMILY FOR 4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT; YEAR C

HOMILY FOR 4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT; YEAR C

HOMILY THEME: THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S PLAN

BY: Fr Peter Gabriel Okon

Micah 5:1-4/ Hebrews 10:5-10/ Luke 1:39-45

As we come very close to Christmas celebrations with the 4th Sunday of Advent today, it is important to have a recap of our advent journey so far. On the first Sunday of advent, the theme of endtimes and the coming of Christ was the focus. The second Sunday took us through message of repentance preached by John the Baptist. The joyful hope of the coming of the Saviour was the centre of the third Sunday with its accompanying challenge of preparations through practical Christianity. Today, the fourth Sunday, our attention is drawn to the fulfillment of Divine plans as prophesied by the old testament prophets. God chooses the small village of Bethlehem, the lowly family of Joseph and Mary as the birthplace of the Saviour. The entire readings today invite us to reflect on God’s fulfillment of His promises, the incarnation of Christ and our role in welcoming Him into the world.

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The prophet Micah in the first reading brings to the fore the plans of God for Bethlehem, the smallest amongst the clan of Judah, “from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel… he shall be great to the ends of the earth (Micah 5: 2, 5a). This reminds us that God’s ways are not like our ways. God can decide to use the smallest and seemingly insignificant aspect of our everyday life to fulfill His divine purpose. Just as with Bethlehem, God needs us to prepare our hearts to welcome Christ, and make Him known wherever we are.

The cry of the psalmist today: “O God bring us back, let your face shine on us, and we shall be saved” re-echoes the fact that we have wondered away from the light of God’s presence and our need to return to Him to be saved. That movement or return to God begins with sincere acknowledgement of our sins and true confession and reconciliation. This is the epicentre of the advent season, it avails us the opportunity to prepare to welcome Jesus Christ, the light of the world. The psalm is a cry for restoration, a cry for help. If we are sincere enough, then there is no way God will turn His face against us, He will definitely hearken to our cry for help and restore us again.

The letter to the Hebrews furthers the theme of God’s fulfillment of His plans through Jesus Christ. Jesus came in complete obedience to the Father, offering His life as an expiation for sins, replacing the sacrifices of old. As we prepare for Christmas, we are urged to imitate the obedience of Christ by aligning our lives and will with the will of God for us. God wills that we may all be saved; our lives therefore must be attuned to God’s plan of salvation for us. This alignment with God’s will is to be seen in the choices we make and actions taken daily.

The Gospel presents the very beautiful scene of the aftermath of the annunciation to Mary: her visit to Elizabeth. The joy that fills the air during this visit of Mary to Elizabeth reaches the deepest recesses of Elizabeth that the baby in the womb leapt for joy. This was not just Mary’s visit to Elizabeth but also the first meeting of Jesus Christ with His precursor John the Baptist. The leaping in the womb was a symbol of homage, a welcoming gesture, an acknowledgement of the power of Jesus, and an invitation for us to pay Him same homage. From the womb, John already began to direct the world to the Saviour, Jesus Christ.

This same joy fills our hearts when we like John the Baptist encounter Jesus Christ and welcome Him into our lives. Consequently, when we open our hearts to Christ, we become bearers of His presence, as with Mary, spreading His love and joy to those around us. Elizabeth is a testimony to the contagious nature of bearing Christ, the greeting of Mary evoked such joy that the child in the womb could not resist being a partaker. What sort of effect does our visit and greetings bring to others?

Dearly beloved, as we prepare for Christmas which is around the corner, may we learn from Mary’ s visit to Elizabeth to always be supportive of one another, spreading love, peace and joy. May we be bearers of Christ and not crisis, harbingers of good news and not bad omens. May our visits and greetings evoke joy and spread love. All of these will be possible if we already have Christ in us. Let us make effort to reconcile ourselves with Him to become the radiance of His glory this season and always.

O God bring us back, let your face shine on us and we shall be saved through Christ our Lord Amen.

Wishing you a very happy Sunday.

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