18/12/2005 - 4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT - Year B
First Reading: 2Samuel 7:1-5; 8b-12; 14; 16 Psalm: 88/89
Second Reading: Romans 16:25-27 Gospel: Luke 1: 26-38
Moses went up to the mountain to pray; to meet with God in silence. It was
there that he received the laws for the people who, up to that moment, could
only follow the laws that each person finds written in his heart. In many cases,
the laws written in one's heart coincide with the one that God wrote on the
rock. Why, then, this one? Was it necessary? It is easy to be deceived by what
our heart and our conscience dictate. It is very easy to quieten our conscience.
Unfortunately, it lends itself more or less to selfishness. An external word,
which confirms the voice within, is helpful; it is a means of support. Among
people, though, not everyone is capable of understanding at the same time, and
in the same way, the voice within. For some, the prophetic law is necessary
to regulate the life of all, and to unite everyone under the obedience of one
faith. We cannot say it enough, though, that the Commandments are not everything.
It is not enough for man to obey the Commandments. Those who obey the Commandments
can still feel an emptiness in his/her own life, just as the young man ran after
Jesus as He was getting ready to leave. Living the Commandments is only the
beginning in getting to know the Lord. Certainly, He can be known to those who
live outside of this one obedience, just as it happened to Zacchaeus and many
others throughout history. Those who, consciously, desire Jesus cannot presume
to meet Him outside of this path, which He, Himself, showed us. It would be
tempting God, a pride which impedes Jesus, Himself, to come closer, as it happened
to Herod. He would have liked to have seen Him, but without working, even slightly,
at obeying the Commandments that he knew.
Nathan, God's prophet, obeys the wishes and projects of the king David, and
approves of them; but he is ready to change his mind and step back, when he
understands God's intentions. God's intentions are, often, different, even from
His own prophets! David would like to build a sanctuary so that he may offer
it to God as His home; but God, instead, surprises mankind. He does not want
to have a house; He does not wish to be banished in a particular location; He
does not intend to be locked up in four walls; though they may be golden! He,
who created man with a heart capable of love, wants to be among men; within
them, in fact! In order to begin this new project, God chooses a family; specifically,
the family of David, as His dwelling place, and from it, He can, then, reach
all of mankind! The Son of God will be born into this family, so that, through
His reign, He can bring salvation to the whole world. Neither Nathan, nor David
can understand completely, and that's why God's plan is not completely revealed
to them.
It is revealed to a young woman in Nazareth; someone who is not familiar neither
with king's thrones, nor the greatness of men! She is so small that she does
resist the great things of God; His great and marvellous plans. For her, God
is so great that He can, also, do all that which she does not understand. The
most beautiful thing is that she puts herself freely at God's complete disposal.
"Let it be with me according to your word", Mary said to the angel.
As if to say: I do not understand, but I know that God is great and good, I
know that what he does is for the good of all; therefore, here I am. I don't
care what becomes of me; if I am in the hands of God, that is my best place;
I will want for nothing.
We don't know whether we should admire God's plan more, or Mary total disposal
to His wishes! Each is a component of the same mystery. God's project is so
immense that it becomes concrete in the smallness of man: in that man, we see
the light and the color of God's greatness! We feel that Mary is so close to
us because of her smallness, though she became great and superior to us because
of God's presence within her! She is truly the very first temple of God, who
shows us and teaches us how to live and what we must do in order for the same
God to dwell within us. We look at her, we observe her carefully in these last
few days of Advent, so that we can be ready to make room for the Son of God
who, at birth, is still in Mary's arms, loved and guarded by her, nurtured and
kissed by her.
This year, let this Christmas feast be, above all, a precious occasion for us
to love, kiss and nurture the Son of God. Let us present to Him our small acts
of love which we offer to those close to us, to those whom we sometimes look
at with indifference and coolness, to those from whom we are used to expect
things. Let us give someone an occasion to give thanks to the Father, and also
to the Son, who revealed Him to us, and revealed His love for us!