[HOMILY] 4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT YEAR B
HOMILY FOR THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT YEAR B.
THEME: BEHOLD YOU WILL CONCEIVE IN YOUR WOMB AND BEAR A SON, AND YOU SHALL NAME HIM JESUS (LK1, 31)
BY: Fr. Cosmas Ukadike CM
This year’s Advent is very short, Sunday being the only day in the fourth week. In the General Roman Calendar, today is the last day of Advent, Christmas Eve, and also (beginning with the vigil Mass) is the first day of Christmas time.
The liturgical texts express wholehearted confidence in the imminent coming of the Redeemer. There is much joyous expectation. The Christmas story would not be complete without reflecting on the unique role of the virgin Mary.
When God began to plan the salvation of mankind, he had at his background plan, the unique role the Blessed virgin Mary was to play. And this was foretold in the ancient era as documented in the book of the prophet:
Look the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us” (Isaiah 7, 14).
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This virgin as revealed to us in today’s Gospel is the Blessed virgin Mary (Lk 1, 27).
For God sent his angel-Gabriel to bring this good news, even when Mary insisted that she was a virgin and that virgin’s do not conceive, she was assured that the Holy Spirit would to his work in her. And so the impossible can be made possible in the sight of God.
This is because when God chooses to act no human or natural laws can prevent him. God is omnipotent and omniscient. He does whatever he wills, just for the good of humanity. Since God chose Mary to be part of the history of human salvation, he has thus given her a pride of place and an eminent role to keep playing for the salvation of souls.
This was the reason why st John the Baptist rejoiced upon hearing in the womb the voice of the Blessed mother (Lk 1, 44). And before now the angel Gabriel had proclaimed her as “highly favoured one”, who enjoys the presence of the Lord upon her (Lk 1, 28). Mary on her part constantly sees herself as a handmaid of the Lord, ready to be used all the time.
And in singing the Praises of the Lord she acknowledged that the Lord has helped Israel his servant, (you and I), remembering his mercy according to his promise to our fathers (Lk 1, 55).
Gods promise to our fathers (David) as seen in today's first reading is that he "will raise up his offspring… Sprung from your loins, and I will establish his kingdom" (2Samuel 7, 12). <br>
This offspring of David, is Jesus, the son of Mary, whom angel Gabriel announced that "God will give him the throne of David his father…and his kingdom will have no end” (Lk 1, 32-33). As the coming of Christ draws closer, let us implore the intercession of the blessed virgin Mary, trusting that through her prayers, God will make every seeming impossibility in our lives to become possible.
Have a blessed day.
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