Fourth Sunday of Advent; a pronounced happening for Christmas Eve.

Fourth Sunday of Advent;  a pronounced happening for Christmas Eve

This perhaps may be the closest that Christmas Eve becomes an eye-opener to the Passion of Christ which is the very essence of the Incarnation.  Old Testament scripture is very true to a quality of God’s Eternal plan needed to redeem humanity from certain eternal death.

“For Zion’s sake  I will not be silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet, until her vindication shines forth like the dawn and her victory like a burning torch.”  (Is 62: 1).  As the celebrant is about to place an image of the baby Jesus into the creche at the Midnight Mass, the assembly sings a Christmas Carol and adores him who comes as Savior.  The wonder of this silent night has many tears of joy and memories of Christamasses past where all will beat their breasts saying God has arrived for you and me.  

If we move ahead by 30 years when Jesus reads from the Prophet Isaiah in Nazareth.  “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the Lord and a day of vindication by our God, to comfort all who mourn.”  (Is 61: 1 - 2).  

Look down upon this babe who is here for each one seeking mercy.  He took upon his divine nature the flesh of humanity, and as we celebrate his birth through the Hypo-static union through the Incarnation, we are looking at Christ who is on his way to Calvary.  This journey we are on is exactly that, a journey to the cross as well.

Unfortunately, the Scribes and Pharisees who awaited the Messiah's return as a warrior now are in for a shock since God isn’t sending his Son as a soldier of war, but a dove with the olive branch  as his mantra.

As we open the book of prophecies, look intently as Isaiah speaks to the heart of every believer this Christmas:  “See, my servant shall prosper, he shall be raised high and greatly exalted.  Even as many were amazed at him-so marred was his look beyond that of man, and his appearance beyond that of mortals.  So shall he startle many nations, because of him kings shall stand speechless; for those who have been told shall see, those who have not heard shall ponder it.”  Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured, while we thought of him as stricken, as one smitten by God and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins, Upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed.”

“Though he had done no wrong nor spoken any falsehood, the Lord was pleased to crush him in infirmity.”  (Is 52: 13 - 15, - 53: 4 - 5, 9b - 10).  

Before closing this expose’ for Advent/Christmas we must also take a closer look at what is occurring in Israel as we sing the music of the arrival of the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.  The disaster of the middle-east is not a foreign nation with trouble on their borders.  We, as Americans will become involved as well and the very introit we utter in harmony, remember those whom Christ came for - are being slaughtered by non-believers.  Advent is a time of hope and it goes beyond the doors of the Church.  Stand up for our brethren around the world, God’s people of Israel.

Ralph B. Hathaway