Fr. Jeff’s Weekly Homily

December 24, 2006
4th Sunday of Advent

READING 1: Micah 5:1-4
Thus says the Lord: You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah, too small to be among the clans of Judah , from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler of Israel…

Psalm 80
Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

READING 2: Hebrews 10:5-10
“Behold, I have come to do your will.”

GOSPEL: Luke 1: 39-45
Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah , where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth . When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth , filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

Thank you all for being here on this 4th Week of Advent which will last about ½ day! On this Christmas, which jumps upon us so abruptly, I remember a Christmas past. As I returned to my car with one little bag of groceries on Christmas eve, a woman was unloading an overflowing cart into her van. I could hear her muttering to herself, “I am not going to make it; I am not going to make it!” With all the wisdom of a man whose sister and brother-in-law were preparing Christmas dinner, I said reassuringly, “Oh, of course, you’ll make it.” She looked at me like I was from the moon—or something—and continued her muttering.

I’d like to set up a few true or false questions for you. In another gospel story the people asked Jesus: “Was this man born blind because of his sins or the sins of his parents?” People in those days believed that good fortune was God’s reward for being good and poor fortune was God’s punishment for sin. So, now Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah were prominent people in their little village. Zechariah was one of the leading citizens who was privileged to offer sacrifices in the temple. They were old enough to be grandparents but had not been able to have children. Mary lived in a town so small everyone knew everyone’s business back generations. Well, you know how people talk. So, here’s the question, true or false: Mary’s parents were so delighted to hear of both Mary and Elizabeth being pregnant, they said to Mary: “Take the Mercedes and go up to visit Elizabeth and take her our love.” (FALSE!) When Mary arrived, Zechariah had been struck speechless and Joseph was considering divorce. Things were not as they ought to be. So, I think you and I would understand how these two inconveniently pregnant women would find comfort and joy in each other’s company. We’re told now that babies feel what their moms are feeling so we can also understand how the babies in the womb would jump for joy!

Now another true or false: Joseph and Mary jumped into Joseph’s Dodge Ram truck for the trip to Bethlehem and Mary’s OBGYN had already sent her file to the hospital so they could have everything ready for her to have her baby when she got there? (FALSE) Exactly!

What was God thinking? You call this a plan? Well, Elizabeth and Mary believed and were not afraid. That first Christmas arrived and they made it! We’re gonna make it too. That’s the Good News!

Fr. Jeff McGowan
Queen of Peace Catholic Community
Gainesville, Florida