HOMILIES

Dear Audience,
For better understanding of the spiritual message behind this homily I kindly remind you to first read and contemplate the biblical texts before reading or listening to my preaching - a human reflection on the Word of God!

Fourth Sunday of Advent (Year A)

Dec 22, 2013

2797

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First Reading

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (7:10-14)

The Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying: Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep as the netherworld, or high as the sky! But Ahaz answered, "I will not ask! I will not tempt the Lord!" Then Isaiah said: Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary people, must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.

(P) The word of the Lord.
(R) Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalms of David (24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6)

(R) Let the Lord enter; He is the king of glory.

The Lord's are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it. For He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. (R)

Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord? or who may stand in His holy place? One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain. (R)

He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, a reward from God his savior. Such is the race that seeks for Him, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob. (R)

Second Reading

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans (1:1-7)

Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised previously through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, the gospel about His Son, descended from David according to the flesh, but established as Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles, among whom you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ; to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

(P) The word of the Lord.
(R) Thanks be to God.

Gospel

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (1:18-24)

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us." When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

(P) The Gospel of the Lord.
(R) Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Homily

During much of the advent season this year we have read and heard from the prophet Isaiah who lived in the eighth century before Christ. So far we have reflected on his predictions about the coming of the Messiah with messages of hope, peace, and joy and lighted candles symbolizing them. In today's text we read his prophecy about God in His great love for humankind chose the virgin from the house of David to give birth to Christ the Messiah, the Son of God. God shows great love for us by sending Christ to teach and live with us and even to die for us. Hence we have lighted the fourth candle today as a sign of God's love for us. What is the story behind the prophecy?

Three hundred years after King David in the year 736 BC a war breaks out between the ten northern tribes of Israel, and the two southern tribes of Judah. Ahaz who belongs to David's royal line, is the king of Judah at the time. Fearing that these powerful armies could easily destroy his nation Ahaz wants to seek the help of the Assyrians. But God speaks to Ahaz with the words of the prophet to alleviate Ahaz's concern about the forces arrayed against him as well as to warn him of the imminent destruction if he seeks help from the Assyrians. But Ahaz does not believe that God is going to save him and his people. By now Ahaz has completely fallen away from God's teachings and the service of the true God. So he rejects the warnings from the prophet Isaiah and refuses to turn to God for help. However, God, who has promised to bless all the heirs of David as long as they trust Him, does not give up on Ahaz. He invites Ahaz to ask for a sign to prove His love and faithfulness to him and his people. But Ahaz refuses piously to hide his determination not to turn back, saying, "I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test." These words are not said in humility but arrogance and pride of heart because he has already made the decision to ask Assyria for help. In other words, Ahaz does not want to do what God wants Him to do.

Even though he does not want a sign from God, God gives him one anyway. The sign no longer has much to do with Ahaz but the whole humankind. Now it's a message for all people, for anyone who will listen to Him. God's love for humankind is so great that He is willing to be born among us so that he could be present with us forever, "The virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel." However, this sign does not change Ahaz's mind about God, or the minds of the people in general, and so God gives them additional signs. In the verses following today's text, Isaiah warns them that before Christ is born, Judah would be destroyed and they would be taken as captives to Babylon. And someday a remnant of them would return and rebuild their great nation. These were certainly not happy signs. Yet God gives these signs to His people in love, so that as they suffer in exile, they would constantly be reminded of the sign that God is sending a Savior to deliver them from all kinds of suffering and sin.

What is the message for us? The Messiah is for all mankind. Today we are also beneficiaries of God's love. God's love is manifested in the work of creation, in His Word and in the self-sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ. And He gives each one of us many more signs to recognize His love. We are called upon to show our love for God by keeping His commandments. But many of us are just as stubborn, arrogant and proud as people in Isaiah's time and unwilling to submit ourselves to Him. Many do not even want to hear about Him because in that way, we can keep living life our way. But God doesn't give up on us so easily. He is not put off by our foolishness. He loves us in spite of our refusal to follow Him and listen to Him. Sometimes even if we do not ask for a sign, He gives one. It is important for us to see those signs and then know what they mean to us. As a matter of fact, Jesus calls those, who haven't been given a sign yet believe, the blessed. Jesus says to his disciple Thomas, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.", John (20:29)

Friends, God offers hope, peace, joy, love and light to everyone who believes in Him and listens to Him. He is faithful to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David and all the way down to Jesus. It means everything God has promised them belongs to us as well.

(P) Amen.

God Bless You!

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