4^th Sunday of Advent

1. On this 4^th Sunday of Advent, which falls this year on the day before Christmas, it seems most appropriate that the liturgy should put before us the figure of Mary, who has every right to be called the Woman of Advent. In her joyful expectation of the birth of her child, Mary is the unique exemplar and model of the Church who waits in hope for the coming of her Lord. As the virgin mother of Jesus, she remains unique. As the sinless and holy woman of faith in Christ, she is both our mother and our model. As her cousin Elizabeth exclaimed: “Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

2. And let’s not forget Mary’s cousin Elizabeth. She is a woman deemed to be beyond the age of child-bearing. And yet she too was expecting a child, and Elizabeth also waited with trust and hope for the birth of her baby who would be given the name John and would be known to the world as John the Baptist, the precursor and fore-runner of the Lord both in the circumstances of their birth and in their appearance later in public life and ministry.

3. The story of Jesus’ birth is very carefully crafted to communicate the mystery of the identity of Mary’s child and the supporting part played by the son of Elizabeth and Zechariah. Elizabeth’s child was conceived in the normal way would be born of older parents. Mary’s child would be conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. Elizabeth’s child was given the name John, an unusual name for his family. Mary’s child would be given the name Jesus, which means Saviour. Elizabeth’s child would be a son of man. Mary’s child would be the Son of the Most High God. Mary, expecting Jesus, visited Elizabeth. At the approach of the Saviour, John leapt in the womb as if in excitement at the approach of the Messiah Elizabeth rejoiced and cried out in words which have become part of our most loved prayer to Mary: “Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”

4. These simple reflections on today’s Gospel, my dear brothers and sisters, show us that the mystery of Christmas which we will begin to celebrate before the day is out is very holy, very deep and very full of God’s loving purpose. We need the eyes and ears of faith and prayer to perceive what God is putting before us.  Like Mary, I hope we can welcome this mystery in a prayerful way with faith, with trust and with a new and abiding hope.

St. Colm’s, Kilmacolm

24^th December 2006.