December 23, 2012

4th Sunday of Advent

First Reading: Micah 5:2-5

   Thus says the LORD: You, Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace.

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Second Reading: Hebrews 10:5-10

   Brothers and sisters, when he came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight in. Then I said, 'As is written of me in the scroll, Behold, I come to do your will, O God.'" First he says, "Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in." These are offered according to the law. Then he says, "Behold, I come to do your will." He takes away the first to establish the second. By this "will," we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Gospel Reading: Luke 1:39-45

   Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."

Reflection: Fr. James Theophilus

   When God enters into the world and when God begins to act man is only a recipient. Man’s response to God will be one of wonder, gratitude and submission. In this man recognizes God’s greatness and accepts his own limitations in humility. Man, on his own, cannot do anything. Whenever God enters into history it is like a new creation.
   Mary finds herself to be in a similar situation. She knows the situation of the society and her own situation as well. The transformation that is taking place in the society or in the world or in the history or in her own life is not through any human intervention but purely of the action of God. It is a new creation. She accepts in humility and rejoices at God’s action. That is the faith of Mary.