Many thanks to Bob Garvey for posting today’s reflection. I have a new computer as of yesterday, but it requires some help from family to be up and running. I’m writing another brief reflection, this time from the Frankfort library.
The 4th week of Advent—very short. Christmas Eve begin as 4 pm. Soon, very, very soon we will be at our great, great feast of the Incarnation, God-with-us.
The theme of today’s readings is Obedience of Faith. It is a good lens with which to experience Christmas. I have written before about the Obedience of Faith. Faith is not just a matter of “I believe.” Obedience of Faith means BECAUSE I believe…..I live as best I can in conformity with God’s ways.
Romans 16:25-27
The term obedience of faith comes from today’s second reading. Paul reminds the Christian community that they live in “obedience of Faith to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ.”
Luke 1:26-38
Our Gospel is the story of the Annunciation. The angel comes to Mary. She doesn’t quite understand his greeting or his description of what obedience of faith is going to mean for her. “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” Gabriel answers her question with the promise of a faith experience that Mary could not have possibly fully comprehended. “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.”
Whether she understood or not, Mary gave her obedience of faith, “May it be done to me according to your word.”
The angel left. Mary’s life—and our lives—were forever changed by her yes, her obedience of Faith.
From II Samuel
The first reading occurs in the latter years of King David’s life. It is a time of peace. David starts thinking of the beautiful palace where he lives, while God still lives in a tent. David thinks it would be good for God to have a palace, too—a temple. David checks his thoughts against the thoughts of the prophet Nathan. At first Nathan says yes, but then God tells Nathan no. Today’s reading doesn’t include the “no.” Instead it focuses on God’s better idea—which is to be Jesus.
God’s plan is to be God-with-us, come to earth in the vulnerable baby Jesus, to walk and talk and die in the vulnerable God/man Jesus–and to STAY WITH US through the Holy Spirit as God-with-us because God-is-in-us via sacrament, our obedience of faith, prayer, and living as Christians.
What a glorious, glorious plan. I love the words in the song, “El Shaddei.” “They didn’t understand your most awesome work was done in the frailty of your Son.”
Fraily remaining today, because it is up to us to live God’s Presence through our obedience of Faith.
Applications
As we enter into the beauty of Christmas worship: kneeling before the creche, singing the hymns, exchanging the greetings, feeling “O Holy Night” and “Joy to the World” in our souls, let us truly “Come, let us adore Him, Christ OUR Lord.”
To adore is to have faith with deep love and profound respect. It is to kneel in our souls, the core of our being.
Christ, the Lord—OUR Lord. Obedience of Faith means we accept and claim Jesus and the ruler of our lives.
How I apply that or you apply that is between us and God. While the Holy Spirit doesn’t come to us exactly like he came to Mary, the Holy Spirit comes and calls us to say “yes” to God. That yes may mean being loving to someone hard to love this Christmas. It may mean monitoring our mouths, our thoughts, our eating or drinking. It may mean lots of service—or lots of prayer—or lots of playing with children. It may mean joy–or sadness, for holidays elicit both in us.
Whatever the circumstances, God calls us to believe and behave according to God’s way—Jesus way.
Merry Christmas….and thanks for all the comments last week encouraging me. Thanks to my friend Bob!
