Reflection for December 22, 2024

Fourth Sunday of Advent (C)

Micah 5:1-4a | Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19 | Hebrews 10:5-10 | Luke 1:39-45

As we gather on this fourth Sunday of Advent, the season’s spirit fills the air, and indeed, as the song suggests, "it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas." With the wisdom of ancient Scriptures, we eagerly await the birth of the One who brings hope and peace to a world in need of renewal.

According to “Ripley’s Believe It or Not,” Craig Dawson has a quirky habit—he always watches the ground while jogging. It’s not for balance, safety, or because he’s shy; he’s on the lookout for spare change. While most people ignore pennies on the street, thinking they’re insignificant, Craig picks them up, believing they’ll eventually add up. Over the past 25 years, he’s collected a staggering $8,100 in lost coins. The takeaway? Small things, when consistently valued, can turn into something big.

Have you ever felt small or insignificant? Today’s First Reading reminds us to seek signs of God’s presence and power in unexpected places and among the marginalized and overlooked. On this fourth Sunday of Advent, we hear a well-known Messianic prophecy proclaiming the birthplace of the awaited Savior. The prophet Micah delivers the good news to Judah: from Bethlehem-Ephrathah—though seemingly small and insignificant—a ruler will arise to save God’s people.  

Bethlehem, meaning "house of bread," was not a city of royalty, wealth, or fame. Jesus was not born into privilege, nor did He claim earthly treasures. Instead, He came as the Bread of Life, born in a humble manger, a feeding trough—symbolizing that He is our ultimate spiritual sustenance. Unlike leaders who had strayed from true care for their people, this new ruler will “stand and shepherd his flock.” His reign will usher in a new order, not rooted in violence or deceit, but in peace. God continues to defy human expectations, revealing His presence in obscure places and working through unlikely individuals. By using what seems small or insignificant, God pours His abundant grace into the world, showing that nothing and no one is too small to play a part in His divine plan.

There’s a story about a farmer who wanted to sell his donkey, so he put an ad on Facebook Marketplace. One day, a potential buyer showed up at the farm. After chatting for a while, they started talking about the donkey. The buyer asked if the donkey was a good worker, and the owner said, “Yep, he’ll do a day’s work.” Then the buyer asked if the donkey obeyed commands, and the owner assured him, “He does.” The buyer wanted to test the donkey, so they hitched it up. Taking the reins, the buyer said, “Giddy-up!” But the donkey didn’t budge. He tried again and again, but still no movement. Frustrated, he turned to the owner and said, “I thought you said this donkey obeys!” The owner calmly walked up to the donkey, grabbed a whip, and gave it a hard smack. Then he came back and said, “Now try again.” The buyer said, “Giddy-up!” and, sure enough, the donkey started working. The owner smiled and said, “This donkey always obeys—you just have to get his attention first.”

By a willing act of obedience, we are saved. In today’s Second Reading, we hear the profound words of Christ as He addresses His Father upon entering the world: ‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight. Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll, behold, I come to do your will, O God.’ It is striking how seamlessly the author of the Letter to the Hebrews applies Psalm 40:6-8 to Jesus, encouraging us to view the entire Old Testament through the lens of Christ. Unlike the burnt offerings and sacrifices of the Old Covenant—performed without the mind, will, heart, or desire of the animals involved—Jesus embodies perfect obedience. These earlier sacrifices were offered by unthinking, unwilling creatures, but Jesus, in stark contrast, fully and freely accepts the Father’s will. Through the Incarnation, Jesus obeys the Father’s plan, choosing to be born of a virgin mother and becoming our brother. His obedience is marked not by compulsion, but by joy and willingness to fulfill God’s purpose. The Incarnation reveals Jesus as the One who hears and accomplishes God’s will, delighting in His good pleasure. This act of obedience is “for us and for our salvation.” Jesus entered the world to save those who have neither delighted in God’s will nor walked in His ways. In His obedience, we find the fulfillment of God’s promise and the hope of redemption for all who turn to Him.

Cardinal Paul-Émile Léger served as the Archbishop of Montreal, Canada’s largest Catholic diocese, for 17 years. Elevated to the rank of cardinal by Pope Pius XII in 1953, he was considered one of the most influential church leaders of the 20th century. His name even came up as a possible candidate during the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Paul VI. But Cardinal Léger was more than a prominent figure; he was a man of profound conviction and humility. Deeply concerned with the suffering of others, he dedicated himself to easing their pain. On November 9, 1967, he shocked the world by resigning his position. Leaving behind the red vestments, miter, and other symbols of his high office, he disappeared from the public eye. Years later, he was found living in a remote African village, serving lepers, the disabled, and the outcasts. When asked by a Canadian journalist why he made such a radical choice, he said: "It will be the great scandal of our century that 500 million people are eating well and living luxuriously while millions of children die of hunger every year. I am too old to change that. The only thing I can do that makes sense is to be present. I must simply be in the midst of them. Tell the people in Canada that you met an old priest—just an old priest who is happy to still be a priest, living among those who suffer. I am happy to be here and to take them into my heart." His life became a testament to selfless love and solidarity with the poorest of the poor.

In the Gospel, we witness Mary journeying approximately 130 kilometers to the town of Judah to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Their embrace is a profound moment of connection, as the Spirit-filled life within Mary encounters and profoundly impacts the life growing within Elizabeth. This encounter reminds us that Advent is not a season of passive waiting but a time of active embrace—a time to “be there” for one another and to nurture the life that is coming into the world. When Mary shared the good news with Elizabeth, she fostered a communion of joy between them. Her visit was not only a gift to Elizabeth but continues to be a gift to all of us. By bearing the presence of Christ within her, Mary influenced more than her own life—she affected the lives of countless generations to come. As we journey toward Christmas, we are invited to draw strength from Mary’s example. Like her, we are chosen by God to embrace others and to be present for them. In sharing Christ with others, as Mary did with Elizabeth, we can create opportunities for new life to take root and flourish. Even the smallest gestures—a kind word, a sincere smile, a brief conversation—can bear the seeds of transformation and hope. As Meister Eckhart beautifully said, “We are all meant to be mothers of God, for God is always needing to be born.” Let us embrace this Advent invitation, allowing Christ to be born through our actions of love and care for one another.

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