Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year B – Nov 24, 2017.

Readings: 2 Sam. 7-1-5.8b-12.14a.16; Ps 89:2-3.4-5.27.29(R.2a); 

2 Rom. 16:25-27; Gospel Luke 1:26-38.

Theme: The Joy of Waiting!

Introduction

Friends in Christ, I welcome you heartily to the fourth and the last Sunday of Advent. By now, the Church expects that our spiritual preparation for Christmas has climaxed. At least these four Sundays have afforded us the rare opportunity of doing some introspection about our spiritual lives so as to set the records right. In her wisdom, the Church expects that by now, Christ would find a place in the Inn of our hearts. Our reflection today shall explore the “The Joy of Waiting.” It shall also dig deep into the fabric of the Sacred Texts in search for a spiritual meal which is expected to sustain us throughout the yuletide season and beyond.

A Résumé of Our Liturgical Readings

Our first reading (2 Sam. 7-1-5.8b-12.14a.16) points to the remote stages of the family tree of Jesus who comes from the Davidic dynasty. By stating that “your house and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me and your throne be established forever,” the reading is not only a pointer to Jesus but also suggestive of what would later be characterised as the Emmanuel-events. As Christians, we can look with hindsight and conveniently appropriate the prophecy of old by associating it with the messiah we await at Christmas. 

Much in the same manner, St. Paul describes him in the second reading (2 Rom. 16:25-27) as “the revelation of a mystery kept secret for endless ages, but now so clear that it must be broadcast to pagans everywhere to bring the obedience of faith.” He adds without mincing words that “this is only what scripture has predicted, and it is all part of the way the eternal God wants things to be.” By implication, the mystery that was foretold through the prophets it now made manifest to gentiles. This is done to achieve the obedience of faith in accordance with the ancient prophesies. 

The gospel reading (Luke 1:26-38) recounts the traditional annunciation by the angel Gabriel. In keeping with the promises of old, the Blessed Virgin Mary accepts to be the worthy mother of the saviour who comes from the Davidic line. Mary’s willingness to undertake a divine task she knows nothing or little about strikes us deeply about her docile persona. Here was a virgin eagerly waiting for the day of her wedding to her expected spouse, Joseph. She had defied the thought of defiling herself before marriage and prepared herself for her prospective husband. 

In her wait, little did she know she would be married to God in terms of conceiving through the power of the Holy Spirit. Expectedly, she wasn’t disappointed. Although she was waiting for a human spouse, when the divine sought her cooperation to undertake such an important task on behalf of humanity, she obliged. Expressing “the Joy of Waiting” she exclaimed: “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me.” This remains a challenge to us all.

Pastoral Application

1. Since God fulfilled his promise to David of raising a saviour in his line, it reveals that the same God comes true for those who hold him in faith.

2. That his sovereignty stands secure and is established forever reveals the Emmanuel-event namely, God is with us forever dwelling in the daily events of our lives.

3. Since Christ is the revelation of a mystery kept secret for endless ages, we who form part of the gentiles are privileged to appropriate the blessings of God.    

4. Expectedly, the fourth Sunday of advent calls our attention to the obedience of faith by developing “a lively faith animated by charity.”

5. The annunciation discloses the favour God gave the Blessed Virgin Mary thus challenging us to reach out for his favour through the pious acts of chastity and waiting on him to fulfil his promises of employment, promotion, admission and spiritual elevation for us.

6. The Blessed Virgin Mary teaches us to appreciate and emulate the virtue of patience and pious-waiting to do that which he wills in our lives.

7. As we await the celebration of Christmas tomorrow, our liturgy assures that despite that our inability to meet our materials needs because of economic reasons, the joy of waiting for the Christ’s event should usher us into a new beginning in which the material is secondary. 

Homiletic Quotes to Remember

1. The four Sundays of Advent have afforded us the rare opportunity of doing some introspection about our spiritual lives.

2. The Church expects that by now Christ would find a place in the Inn of our hearts. 

3. We look with hindsight and conveniently appropriate the prophecy of old by associating it with Christmas.

4. The mystery that was foretold through the prophets it now made manifest to the gentiles. 

5. Mary’s willingness to undertake a divine task she knows nothing or little about strikes us deeply about her docile persona.

Conclusion

Beloved in Christ, we are called to reassess our preparation. As it is typical with every Christmas celebration, people often have three types of preparation namely, food and drink, new clothes and spiritual rejuvenation. Well, for us Christians, we have starved ourselves of singing the Gloria for about four Sundays. This is meant to create a spiritual hunger in us so that at tonight’s vigil, we would join the choirs of angles to sing the first and the best Gloria ever sang. Perhaps, this would give us some butterflies in our tummies as we await the cry of the baby Jesus in that one event which took place 2017 years ago at the Shepherd’s field, in a manger, in Bethlehem.