Friday, December 24, 2021

 Friday of the Fourth Week of Advent

(II Samuel 7:1-5.8b-12.14a.16; Luke 1:67-79)

The Church presents different titles for Jesus on the seven days before Christmas Eve.  In this way it aids our reflection on the mystery of the Incarnation.  The titles comprise the kernel of the “O Antiphons” sung in the “alleluia” acclamation before the gospel reading at Mass.  Someone has cleverly noticed that the first letters of the Latin titles given backwards, beginning with E for Emmanuel on December 23, form the acrostic ERO CRAS, which means “I will be tomorrow.”  Tomorrow we will celebrate Christ’s being with us as a human being.  He is a gift which should take our breath away. 

The titles of the “O antiphons” in the order of the acrostic run as follows.  E is for Emmanuel: Jesus is literally “God-with-us.”  R is for Rex: he is the king who will care for our needs.  O is for Oriens: Jesus comes as the dawn bringing the light of truth.  C is for Clavis: he holds the key of David to heaven’s door.  R is for Radix: Jesus comes from the root of Jesse, a royal pedigree assuring capability.  A is for Adonai: he is the Lord God of Israel who loves the poor and oppressed.  And S is for Sapientia: Jesus dispenses wisdom to assist us on the earthly sojourn. 

We are encouraged to attend midnight mass on Christmas Eve.  The reason for mass at this hour runs deeper than waiting for new day to begin.  Jesus promises to return “like a thief in the night” and asks his disciples to watch for him.  Beyond dining and exchanging presents, we should use the late hours to pray.  We can reflect on the titles of the “O antiphons.”  As much as anything, they help us to see Jesus’ significance.

Thursday, December 23, 2021

 Thursday of the Fourth Week of Advent – December 23

(Malachi 3:1-4.23-24; Luke 1:57-66)

After doing something seriously wrong, we may feel out of sorts.  Guilt weighs on our conscience.  One thing after another seems to go south.  In Shakespeare’s Macbeth after killing the king, both Macbeth and his wife experience a serious of setbacks.  She goes out of her mind, and he is routed.  In the gospel Zechariah commits a serious sin, suffers consequences, but shows himself capable of reform.

Zechariah expressed doubt that the good news of the angel Gabriel could come to pass.  When told that he and his barren wife Elizabeth would bear a son, he questioned God’s authority.  As a result, he was struck speechless.  In today’s passage, the child is born.  Zechariah shows acceptance of God’s authority by naming his son “John” as Gabriel ordained.  Only then is Zechariah’s speech restored.

When John grows up, he will announce the coming of the Lord.  Doing so, he fulfills the prophecy of today’s first reading.  John preaches repentance to prepare the people for Christ’s forgiveness. We too must repent when we do something wrong.  Then, like Zechariah, we can be refreshed to give praise to God.

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

 Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent

 (I Samuel 1:24-28; Luke 1:46-56)

The movie It’s a Wonderful Life has more than a Christmas scene to recommend it as an all-time holiday favorite.  More crucially, the film demonstrates the hope that the child Jesus brings into the world.  The schemes of the villain Potter are vanquished.  Meanwhile, poor people are enabled to live with dignity in their own homes.  Most of all, God comes to the help of his faithful servant, George Bailey, in his hour of desperation.

What director Frank Capra puts on film, Mary proclaims in the gospel today.  She sings of how in sending His son into the world, God is fulfilling His promises.  Jesus will feed the hungry with bread.  He will also refute those who regard themselves as better than others. Mary can make these claims after pondering in her heart all that the angel and Elizabeth, tell her.  She is Jesus’ true disciple.  She listens to the word of God, turns it over in her heart, and finally gives it fresh expression. 

All of us should imitate Mary not only with words but also with deeds.  We should not be shy about expressing our sense that God has indeed blessed us.  We should as well act in ways that bespeak God’s mercy to the poor.

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

 

Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent

(Song of Songs 2:8-14; Luke 1:39-45)

The Song of Songs has always held a special status.  It was written as a love poem.  Two young persons seek to be with one another.  Their love transcends sexual attraction, however.  They desire to be only with each other, presumably for life.  Being allegorized, the poem has been accepted into the Canon of Scripture.  Jews see it demonstrating God’s love for His people.  Similarly, Christians understand it as Christ’s love for the Church.  

Today’s reading from the Song of Songs pictures the lover crossing mountains to find his beloved.  It parallels the gospel where Mary, pregnant with Jesus, crosses into the hill country.  She goes ostensibly to support her elderly kinswoman Elizabeth, who is also with child.  Loves converge in various ways.  Mary shows love for Elizabeth.  God has shown love for His people by sending a Savior.  John, Elizabeth’s child, shows love for Jesus with a leap for joy.  Elizabeth expresses love for Mary by calling her “blessed.”

Love knows various levels.  On a basic level we choose to be with people whom we find interesting.  On a higher plane we collaborate with people to meet our objectives in life.  On the highest level we love people for who they are in themselves.  These include our relatives, who share common traits, and our friends, who deepen our lives with meaning.  Christmas shows God great love for us.  It also allows us to express our love for others.

Monday, December 20, 2021

 Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent (December 20)

(Isaiah 7:10-14; Luke 1:26-38)

 We have all heard of contemporary “headhunters.”  These people are personnel specialists who seek the right person for an important job.  They may want someone with a Ph.D. in chemistry and skills as a scuba diver to do critical marine scientific research.  The angel Gabriel plays the role of a headhunter in today’s gospel.

Gabriel is looking for the right person to be the mother of the Messiah.  He goes to Mary who is “full of grace.”  She has been uniquely gifted to do God’s will.  Further, she has shown herself cooperative with that grace.  As the angel says, she has “found favor with God.”  She again shows worthiness to be mother of Jesus when she responds to Gabriel.  She tells him unequivocally, “May it be done to me according to your word.” She will always do God’s will, not her own.

We can be like Mary.  We have been given the necessary grace at Baptism.  We have also cooperated with that grace by helping a neighbor and coming to church.  It’s difficult in today’s narcissistic world to allow God’s will to take precedence over our own.  But we can do it with God’s assistance.