My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,
Ang Ikaapat na Linggo ng Adbiyento ay isang masayang pananabik
dahil tayo ay talagang nalalapit na sa pagdiriwang ng Pasko ng
Pagsilang ng ating Panginoong Hesukristo. At ang Linggo ring ito ay
bahagi ng tinatawag na “Late Advent Weekdays”, na kung saan ang mga
Pagbasa, lalung-lalo na ang mga Ebanghelyo, ay mas nagpapahayag
tungkol sa Unang Pagdating ng Panginoon.
As Christmas draws near, we are invited to look back on the story of the
Incarnation for more than thousand years ago, the story of God
becoming man, the Word made flesh.
In the First Reading (2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16), King David
conquered Jerusalem and took with him the Ark of the Covenant, which
God commanded Moses to build in order to protect the Torah. David
decided to build a house for the ark, but the Lord God through the
Prophet Nathan told him that his future son, King Solomon, would build
the house and consecrate it for the temple. Moreover, the covenant that
God made for King David is an everlasting house, at which this is called
the Davidic dynasty. This promise of the Lord was fulfilled by the Lord
Jesus Christ, who is also a descendant of King David. The Responsorial
Psalm (Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29) speaks about King David's hymn of
praise for the Lord's great works to him. Indeed, his song echoes these
words of a famous Recessional Hymn: "I will sing forever of Your love,
O Lord! I will celebrate the wonder of Your name, for the word that you
speak is a song of forgiveness, and a song of gentle mercy and of peace."
In the Second Reading (Romans 16:25-27), Saint Paul ends his testament
to the Church of Rome by preaching the salvation of God, hidden from
the early ages until it is revealed and manifested by the First Coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle reminds us that God's salvation is not
only for the Jews and Israelites, but it is also for all, especially the
Gentiles; therefore, we are invited to humble ourselves and to accept one
another wholeheartedly.
The Gospel today about the Annunciation is reminisced by the Collect of
today's Mass, which is the concluding prayer of the Angelus. During the
Fall of Man, Adam and Eve disobeyed God by succumbing to the
temptation of the serpent, which symbolizes Satan. Because of this, sin
began to spread from the past until the future generations. But God did
not abandon his people; indeed, he sent his Only Begotten Son, our Lord
Jesus Christ, to redeem the world from the slavery of evil. This wouldn't
have happened if the Blessed Virgin Mary didn't say "Yes" to the will of
God. When she heard the message of the Archangel Saint Gabriel that
she would bear a son, she was at first troubled because she cannot
handle relationships. But then it was announced to her that her child
would be the Savior of the world. After hearing this message, she
faithfully, humbly, and obediently accepted the word of the Lord.
Although Jesus and Mary were very great figures in the Church, they
still humbled themselves and embraced humanity. Mary is not divine,
but she was predestined by God to be totally conceived without original
sin (Immaculate Conception) so that Jesus Christ could be born without
any blemish of sin, especially original sin. Jesus is God, but he humbled
himself into our human existence and lived like us. The Lord became in
the form of a infant, and was born in the manger. Therefore, Mary and
Jesus needed help from God the Father so that they could fulfill his
salvation plan for all. Indeed, Mary was willing to accept such privilege,
but she did not need to be famous during that time. She humbled
enough to be the Mother of the Lord and obediently conceive him in her
immaculate womb, and she proclaimed her fiat by saying "Yes" to God
with her whole faith. This Christmas, we are invited to realize how God
is calling us to be simple, loving, caring, merciful, and humble, and serve
others in their needs. He became man like us in all things except sin so
that he can show us the value of love.
As we journey down towards the end of the Advent road, like Mary, let
us be humble, obedient, and faithful to the word of the Lord, as we
prepare for the Coming of the Lord into our hearts by the celebration of
his Nativity.
Mga kapatid, ilang oras nalang, at Pasko na. Bagamat may mga bagay na
hindi natin magagawa ngayong Kapaskuhan dahil sa mga ‘di kanais-nais
na sitwasyon na ating hinaharap, gagawa at gagawa pa rin ang
Panginoon ng kabutihan at pagpapala upang masaya nating ipagdiwang
ang taung-taong selebrasyon ng Pagkakatawang-tao niya sa
pamamagitan ng kanyang Anak. At siguro ang hamon sa atin ay tularan
ang ating Mahal na Inang si Maria na sa kabila ng lahat ng nangyayari sa
ating buhay, maganda man o pangit, patuloy tayong magtiwala na
walang imposible para sa Panginoon. At tayo rinay patuloy na tumalima
sa kanyang kalooban, at maging instrumento rin ng pagpapahayag ng
kanyang pagmamahal sa atin. Amen
