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
