Rejoice by entrusting yourself to God's will...
Reflections on the readings for the Fourth Sunday of Advent (December 22, 2019): IS 7:10-14; PS 24:1-2,3-4,5-6; ROM 1:1-7; MT 1:18-24
MISSIO offers “Mission In Scripture” to nurture a missionary heart, providing reflections on the missionary themes in the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days
In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul reminds us that Jesus is both God and Man.
“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, (is) Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 1:3-4). On the fourth and final Sunday of Advent, we need to understand that our Lord came to invite us to become holy, to become like Him. Jesus wants all who hear the Good News to be His apostles, to share His message and to belong to Him for now and eternity.
Paul also talks about the “obedience of faith.” Even though obeying God’s will is a vital part of what it means to be a Christian, many of us feel uncomfortable with the concept of giving over our will to another – even God. We may think that we are giving up our freedom, yet Jesus Himself chose to give up everything to serve His Father and to redeem His people. When we think of Christ Crucified–Christ Risen, let us appreciate that we are called to willingly imitate Him on earth so that we, too, will rise like Him and share heaven with Him. When we think about Christmas over these next few days, let us treasure the tremendous gift our Lord offers us of worshipping Him not only at Bethlehem, but also at Golgotha and, ultimately, in Heaven.
Suggested missionary action: We can use these last days of Advent to plan a special gift for the Christ Child. We can help a family in need – in our own neighborhood or through the Church’s missions – have a happy celebration with their children by sharing with them from our God-given blessings.
