Sunday, December 22, 2024

A PILGRIMAGE OF HOPE TOWARDS PEACE, WITH JOY, IN FAITH

The Fulfilment of the Journey 

Fourth Sunday in Advent: December 22, 2024

Micah 5: 1-4; Hebrew 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-44


We began a journey three weeks ago, a journey preparing ourselves towards that Pilgrimage of Hope we wish to make in the coming Jubilee Year! And here we are at the close of the journey, reflecting on the fulfilment of this life journey, the journey of hope, towards peace, with joy, in faith! This Sunday, the Sunday of faith, speaks to us of faith as that experience of fulfilment that we are called to, as people of God. Apart from the theme of faith that is proposed for our reflection, there is the figure of Mary presented to us as the icon to be contemplated upon this Sunday, so close to the celebration of the profound mystery of Incarnation. We see this reflection shared in three modes, answering three pertinent queries regarding faith.

The first of the points of clarity we have: what is the meaning of Faith – it is the confidence we have in the Lord, arising out of the fulfilment of the promises that the Lord has given us. Mary is presented as the model of that person of faith, as we see Elisabeth declaring, “blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled. Yes, the model presented to us by Mary in this regard is a reminder of hope, that we always remain disposed to behold the fulfilment of the promises of the Lord, despite the darkness or the confusion that may surround at a given moment. Just as Mary trusted in the Lord, in spite of her inability to grasp entirety of the plan of God that was unfolding around her, we are challenged to grow in confidence of hope that the promise of the Reign will certainly be fulfilled in God’s own time.

That is the meaning of faith, that this Sunday teaches us, as it prepares our minds to look forward to the imminence of the great mystery of salvation that we are about to celebrate in a couple of days. Our lives are an unfolding of these fulfilments, if only we are attentive to many an experience that our lives consist of. It is a special quality to recognize that and proclaim – the Mighty one has done great things for me.

The second point of reflection is the obedience of faith – the source of our peace, the true, internal peace that the Lord alone can give. Here I come to do your will – that phrase that we hear today is so explicative of Christ as that Son of God who submitted himself in obedience of faith, as St. Paul would explain to us (Rom 1:5 & 16:26). Mary is presented as one who manifested the same obedience to the Will of God – thus becoming the eminent of the first fruits of Christ’s salvation to human kind. Apart from salvation that sounds so transcendent, we could understand the obedience of faith as the source of peace even in our days.

If only each of us and all of creation vows this obedience of faith to the eternal will of the Creator, everything would be in peace! It applies to our individual hearts too – when we submit ourselves in this obedience of Faith to the One who calls us, we shall experience a peace that shall fill our lives and that no one can take away from us.

A third challenge that is posed to us is a commitment of faith – faith that requires us to become bearers of joy to the world, to others, to everyone whom we meet. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord, exclaims Elisabeth in the Gospel, for the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Some Gospel exegetes want us to note here the resemblance to an Old Testament incident – when King David leapt and danced for joy (2 Sam 6) – because he saw the Ark of the Covenant enter Jerusalem. John the Baptist in the womb of his mother leaps for joy, just as Elisabeth herself, when Mary entered the house! Mary is paralleled here to the Ark of the covenant, that is the bearer of the presence of God. That is the commitment of faith that we are given with today: to become the bearers of this joy of the presence of the Lord to whomever we encounter. That is evangelization today, to be bearers of the joy of the presence of the Lord to the world.

The feast of the incarnation is at hand! The journey of advent we began is fast ending… and we are called today to gear up, to hold our heads high and receive the call of the Lord to be persons of faith, beholding the fulfilment of the promises of the Lord in hope, to find the source of peace in our obedience of faith and commit ourselves in faith to be bearers of the joy of the presences of the Lord to the world. May the forthcoming feast strengthen our dedication and enable us to grow in our vocation to be pilgrims of hope

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