Sunday of the fourth week of Advent

Presence

Lord, grant that I may be still within on this final day of Advent, and on the eve of your birth. May this stillness help me to experience your peace and your love in the quietness of my heart and spirit.

First Reading

2 Samuel 7:1-16 NRSVue

Now when the king was settled in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, “See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.” Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.”

But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel, and I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place and be disturbed no more, and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel, and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. When he commits iniquity, I will punish him with a rod such as mortals use, with blows inflicted by human beings. But I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever.”

First Reading Reflection

This prophetic reading points to the Kingship of Jesus, who will come as a humble Child, but is truly the King of the Universe and Lord of all. God speaks to King David through the prophet Nathan about the royalty of his house and his descendants. Little does David know of the nature of this King to come, the nature of the Kingdom of God as it will be revealed in Jesus Christ. It is an upside-down kingdom, with a preference for the poor, the weak, the childlike, the humble, the broken, the outcast, the despised, the wretched. It is to such as these that Jesus comes, it being much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 19:24) Jesus was also known to say that many prophets and kings longed to see what his disciples witnessed…(Luke 10:24) We ponder the wonder and mystery that this inspires in us…

Gospel

Note: As there is the same Gospel reading today as last Wednesday, we are using a reading from the 4th Sunday of Advent from another year.

Luke 1:67-79 NRSVue

Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his child David, as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors and has remembered his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness in his presence all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. Because of the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Gospel Reflection

As we reach the end of Advent, we are reminded of the fundamental truth about God – His wonderful mercy. The prayer of Zechariah rejoices in the mercy of God shown to His people throughout the ages, and now finds its fulfilment in Jesus, who will show the “tender mercy of our God” to all peoples. Mercy is forgiveness, understanding, acceptance and love in action. The call is that we be people of mercy to one another. This is one of the most joyful messages of God that we can remember as we look at the crib in wonder, amazement, thanksgiving and prayer. The canticle of Zechariah also gives us a beautiful image of Jesus coming as the Light of the world, the Light for all people, like “the dawn from on high”. Zechariah understood that the Messiah would be the one to save, protect and rescue his people, and ultimately to redeem them, and that his son, John the Baptist, would point the way. Jesus does the same for us today, as he is the God of yesterday, today and forever. He saves, protects, rescues and redeems us just as he did two thousand years ago. Alleluia!

Closing Prayer

May the Christ Child, born this night, be born in the night of your own hearts and lives, and be a bright light for your path and for all those who know you. 

We wish all of you who have prayed this retreat with us a very Happy Christmas and every blessing for 2024!

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