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Fourth Sunday of Advent
Today's Scripture
I am going to make a confession. I was at loss this advent because none of things that normally tug my heart in preparation for Christmas did anything for me this year. Somehow I felt a dis-connect with everything traditionally Christmas: carols, decorations and gifts. Not that I did not take advent seriously. I did everything I preached to others over the last three weeks. And then, I read the short gospel for today’s liturgy – Mary visits Elizabeth. Something finally clicked. As we get closer to Christmas I feel totally mesmerized by Mary. It is almost as if this year it is going to be a Mary Christmas for me. In fact, I read the entire story of the birth of Jesus to get a clearer glimpse about Mary’s role in the incarnation. I read every passage where Mary is mentioned in the gospels. And then I began to write this homily. The result in the end was rather surprising.
Here are three things about Mary that is making sense to me.
1. Mary’s availability. In the midst of a very hectic and stressful schedule, nothing is more challenging to me than “availability.” Between funerals, wedding preparations, weddings, baptisms, hospital visits, numerous meetings, retreat and homily preparation I consider it important to be available to people on a personal level. I look around and I realize how people make themselves available for the parish. This parish has two support staff. The rest of the ministries happen because people make themselves available. And now I would like you to think of Mary… When the angel came to her, she made herself available to God in way that no human person had ever done before. Her engagement to Joseph, her family, her parents, her reputation, her personal life… she risked everything to be available for God. And then she rushed to Elizabeth to be available to her.
For me, this Christmas is about being available to God and others in a serious way. I am encouraging you to think about this as well. We know if we are available to God if we give time to God in serious prayer and serious study of scripture. We know if we are available to God if we take the time to discern God’s will and do it. We know we are available to God if we take the time to care about those that need help. This woman, Mary, teaches us that a true disciple of Jesus is available to God and others in some serious and radical way.
2. Mary keeps it real. I love how Mary keeps it real. Sometimes I live in this illusion that because I am a priest that life should somehow be different for me. Here is an example. On Thursday, after the teacher’s Christmas party, I was rushing elsewhere. I pulled my car out of the garage with my rear door wide open. I heard the metal crack and there was my car with the rear door over lapping my front door. I was so distraught. “God” I said, “give me a break!” But that is not what Mary did. She keeps it real. The gospel portrays her as being afraid when the angel came to her. She asked the right questions when she did not understand how she could conceive without a man. She went to her son when the wine ran dry at the wedding at Cana and intervened on the couples’ behalf. She trusted God when she began to see that her son’s life and message was creating controversy and bitter opposition. She stood by her son when he needed her most. She keeps it real. She keeps God real in her most challenging times. She never says, “God, give me a break!” She says, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it done to me according to your word.”
I have learnt that I must keep it real instead of living is some illusionary world. I must keep God real in my otherwise comfortable life. I must learn to say, “Let it done to me according to your word.”
3. Mary’s represents tenderness and a tower of strength. In the scriptures Mary holds her son close to her bosom two times. When the Magi came to see Christ they found him with his mother. She held him close to her heart. Her hopes, her dreams, and all that the angel promised her about her son were yet to come to fruition. She held him another time – this time his battered, bruised and lifeless body. All the dreams, hopes, and the promise of the angel were nailed to the cross. Mary, for me, tenderness and strength combined in this holy woman.
Mary is my model as priest, pastor, leader, teacher, disciple, servant and friend that I must be. I cannot ask you that she be your model as well. But it is worth reflecting on the tenderness and strength of this woman, because this is woman to gave us Jesus.
So here is the surprise I stumbled upon. The more I allowed Mary to mesmerize me the more I realized how centered her life was around her Son. No wonder she is the first and most exemplary disciple. No wonder she is blessed among all women. No wonder she is called blessed by all generations. Christmas suddenly began to make sense again. I have to admit, though, the carols, gifts or decorations are still not doing anything for me, but rather, the God in the manger and the God on the Cross – Mary has brought me to her Son.
- Fr. Satish Joseph
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