Fourth Sunday of Advent

Dec 19

This last Sunday before Christmas, we light the candle representing “Love” in our Advent wreath. We are drawing ever closer to the day we remember the greatest gift we have ever received: Jesus, Emmanuel, the promise that God is with us forever. As we know from the life of Jesus, this is not a throwaway love, or one that is cheap, or easily understood.

All Christians agree that Jesus is divine, but there are differing opinions as to why God became flesh. Many believe Jesus came to raise the fallen world caused by the original Sin of Adam and Eve. Yes, we do believe that Jesus does save us from our sin. However, there is another tradition within our Catholic Christian faith that goes back to the Fathers of the Church, and which has clearly been woven into Franciscan spirituality. God became human because God is love, infinite love.

St. Anselm's teaches us that all of creation is God's love overflowing. He believed that God's love is not a feeling but a reality that manifests itself in creation. God's love is the source of all existence, and through His love, creation is given life and beauty. Since that love is infinite and free, it is greater than humanity and certainly greater than our sin. Blessed John Duns Scotus believed that the eternal God freely chose to create us and freely chose to enter into our history out of love in order to show us the fulfillment of humanity in the person of Jesus.

It is that love that we are preparing to receive this Christmas. St. Francis of Assisi’s ceaseless devotion to the Incarnation was because of the profound humility that the infinite God – the One who is beyond all comprehension - would assume our human state.

In today’s first reading, the prophet Isaiah speaks to Ahaz, the twelfth king of Judah. He was 20 when he became king and reigned for 16 years. He is portrayed as a ruthless and evil king who offered his own son as a burnt offering to the god Moloch (2 Kings 16:2-3).

With words of warning, Isaiah challenged King Ahaz and told him the Lord is asking for a sign to prove he is loyal to the God of Israel. Ahaz, feigning piety, refused to ask for a sign but preferred to rely on his allies rather than listen to the prophet of God. It is then that we first hear of the birth of the child who would be called Emmanuel.

Perhaps there is irony that Matthew references this passage from Isaiah that includes Ahaz, the one who killed his own son, to announce the birth of Jesus. Perhaps it was not ironic, but an intentional illustration that the Son of God, the love of God made flesh, conquers all evil, and gives life.

Earlier this week, I wrote in a letter to Rabbi Michael Jay after the shooting in Australia, “We all know that our world is in trouble, and the shooting at Brown University, followed by the horrific news of the shooting in Australia, are more examples of how dry our desert is and how far we are from Isaiah's vision.” I assured Rabbi Michael of our support, love, respect, and prayer for him and for all the members of the Jewish Community Center of Long Beach Island. This Fourth Sunday of Advent is a reminder of the hope and love that the Christmas season brings. May we all come to a deeper understanding of the love of God that created all things and is shared with us this Christmas, and may we, in turn, share that love with others, so we may all come to know the peace that God initially intended in Eden.

During this most holy time, may God bless all of us, our country, our world, our enemies, and our friends, with that peace that only God can give.

Merry Christmas!