Lesson [Fourth Suday of Advent]

Salvation is a Partnership Between God and Man

On this last Sunday of Advent, as the solemn celebration of Christ's birth approaches, the Church reminds us of that holy day nine months earlier  when Jesus was conceived in his Mother's womb.

There are two great mysteries connected with that day. The first is the mystery of God becoming man - the Incarnation. God has loved us so much that he became one of us, so that he could save us from sin and the meaninglessness that sin brings, and show us the way to a meaningful life, now and forever.

The second mystery is that God didn't - and doesn't - work out that plan of salvation for us all by himself. Instead, he asks for our cooperation. In today's Gospel, God invites Mary to become the mother of the Savior. It was possible for Mary to reject this invitation.

As in the parable of the many townspeople who decline the king's invitation to attend his son's wedding feast. Mary could have said, "Thanks for the invitation, Lord, but what you're asking is actually very inconvenient for me. I really wish I could do what you want, but I'm just not there yet."

That's how Adam and Eve had responded to God's invitation to take care of the Garden of Eden. But Mary didn't insult God with an answer like that. She knew God and knew that his plans are always wise and wonderful. So, she put her life at his service: "I am the handmaid of the Lord, may it be done unto me according to your word." Mary's "yes" reversed Eve's "no", and made room for Christ's undoing of Adam's fall.

When God disrupts our plans, we should follow Mary's example, making our contribution to God's work of salvation, however small it may be. Salvation is God's business, but it's a partnership; we have a role to play as well.

David Wins (from the 2^nd Samuel 7:1-5, 8-11, 16)

King David, the greatest of Israel's Old Testament kings, learned this lesson well. Today's First Reading begins by telling us that when David received the wonderful Christmas prophecy about his descendent, Jesus, who would rule forever, he "was settled in his palace, and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side."

That's a very brief summary of the last twenty-plus years of his life. During those years David lived like a renegade to avoid being murdered by the king who preceded him, Saul. Then he fought a civil war against Saul's followers, and another, ongoing war against the foreign power of the Philistines. Although he was usually outnumbered and under-equipped, God always gave him the victory.

Perhaps the most famous of his victories was his first one. At the time, the Israelites' war with the Philistines was at a standstill. The Philistine's gigantic warrior, Goliath, had challenged Israel to let the war be decided by one-on-one combat between himself and Israel's greatest soldier. But no Israelite, not even King Saul, was courageous enough to face the gargantuan Goliath.

When the teenaged shepherd boy David heard about it, he immediately accepted the challenge and went in front of the giant without armor, sword, or shield. As they faced each other, he said to the Philistine: "You come against me with sword and spear and scimitar, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel that you have insulted."

And sure enough, as Goliath rushed at David with sword and spear, the future king fit a stone to his sling and fired it right into the Philistine's forehead, stopping him dead in his tracks. David knew God well and trusted in him - our God, the God of Jesus Christ, for whom "nothing is impossible," and that was the source of his extraordinary courage.

How God Disrupts Our Plans

Mary's "yes" to God wasn't easy; it involved a total change of her plans. Mary had felt called early on to serve God through consecrated virginity, which meant not having children. This is the reason behind her comment to the angel: "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?"

That comment would have made no sense if she were planning on leading a normal married life with St Joseph, her fiancée. Life as a virgin consecrated to God was what she had envisioned for herself and planned for. But then the angel came along and changed those plans.

God often does the same thing with us. Like a good coach, he pushes us out of our comfort zone so that we can reach our full potential as Christians. There are three ways especially in which God tends to disrupt our plans.

First, when we are really busy and don't' want any interruptions, he brings us into contact with someone who needs help. Second, we suddenly discover that certain popular and fashionable behaviours or activities (which we would like to follow) are actually against Church teaching, that they cause damage to us and to others.

Third, when we are really tired, fed up, or angry, our conscience - like the angel Gabriel in today's Gospel passage - sends us a message saying that we really need to keep working, or to do a little extra work, or to be extra patient with someone, or to hold our tongue. These are three common ways that God disrupts our personal plans in order to invite us to be partners in his plan of salvation.

During this Mass, let's ask God for the grace to respond generously to those disruptions, as Mary did, especially during the Christmas season, so that our part in God's plan of salvation is sure to get done.