Fourth Sunday of Advent_A - Everything Is Ready_122219

Deacon Tom Writes,

Everything Is Ready

Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year A

Saying yes to God is never easy. Somehow, we think that Mary had an easy time saying yes to God when asked by the Angel Gabriel to be the Mother of God. The same goes for Joseph. He was afraid to take Mary as his wife until the angel told him not to fear. We are fearful of many things and that is perhaps why scripture tells us, as we hear today, “Do not be afraid”. 

Fear has governed many aspects of our life. We live in fear of losing our jobs, our health, our loved ones. We are afraid that we won’t have enough….enough success, enough money, enough energy to make it through the day, or enough of the things we need to live comfortable and independent lives. In order to lessen our fears, we work longer or harder. We spend our time and resources continually seeking to improve our station in life. Yet most still live in a persistently fearful state, anxious of the uncertainties that lie ahead. 

Advent is a time to put our fears to rest. That is what saying yes to God really boils down to. Yes, God, I trust you. Yes, God, I know you are with me through the turmoil and uncertainty of my life. Yes, God, you will help me bear the pain, the loss, the loneliness of life that I find myself in now. I know that you will calm my fears and give me all that you see as good for me.  

Mary’s son was born into a dark and harsh world. Yet, he never succumbed to the anxieties and fears of life. Like Mary and Joseph, Jesus did all that His Father asked of Him, saying yes in becoming flesh and born of Mary; saying yes to taking on all the hardships of our human condition; saying yes to suffering the injustice and humility of death on the cross. 

Today on this Fourth Sunday, Everything is ready. We are ready to greet the Child who frees us from our fears.

Have a blessed and joy-filled Christmas!

   and Happy New Year

Deacon Tom

Show Me A Sign

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Show Me A Sign”

Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year A

How would we answer the Lord if He asked us to, “Ask for a sign”? There are many things that I can think of right off the top of my head, but I’m sure that anything I could possibly imagine would fall far short of what Isaiah comes up with given Ahaz’s silence. Never in a million years would anyone but a Prophet of God think of the sign we read about today, “that the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel”. Yet this is exactly what God does. And so Jesus is both the Son of God and the Son of Mary.

Today’s readings remind us that Jesus began his ministry in the security and safety of a family with Joseph and Mary to guide and teach him how to live a virtuous life. Joseph, as we know from the little we read of him in scripture, was a man of courage as shown by his willingness to accept what the angel had revealed to him. He was also a protector of his family, doing all that was necessary to keep them safe. Mary was a woman of strong faith and trust in God. All of their daily decisions, conversations around the supper table, interactions with their neighbors, relatives, merchants, fellow Jews, and even Roman occupation forces exposed Jesus to day to day life and helped shape his understanding of the world. We know that soon after the child’s birth, the holy family became fugitives, seeking safety by traveling to Egypt. The love and care that Jesus received from Mom and Dad helped strongly influenced his human nature as he grew in wisdom and understanding of his divinity.

By situating himself within a family environment, Jesus gives us insight into his divine family – the Trinity. Family for us is the visible sign of the relationship we have with one another, a relationship of mutual love, affirmation and support. Within the family, each member is nurtured and nourished by the common shared experiences of all. Indeed, any good that we see as essential for a wholesome and balanced family life can be attributed to the Trinity wherein these attributes exist in their perfection.

As we draw closer to this great Feast of the Nativity, let’s be mindful that we are all part of God’s family. Indeed, we are all his Children. Let us thank God for the gift of our families and ask him to guard, guide, and protect us all in the days and years to come.

May you find God’s joy and peace in these closing days of Advent.

Deacon Tom