Persevering in prayer amid the uncertainty
Dec. 22,—Fourth Sunday of Advent
Readings: 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8B-12, 14A, 16; Psalm 89, R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.; Romans 16:25-27; Gospel–Luke 1:26-38
Today we begin to wrap up our Advent journey. Allow me to propose three images of this journey to help us in our reflections.
First is our journey through the four Sundays of Advent. Then let us reflect on our journey through the four candles of the Advent wreath. Finally, there is the journey of Mary to Elizabeth in our Gospel on the Visitation.
Revisiting the Gospels of the past Sundays, we had the call to repentance on the first Sunday, to pray and to be vigilant. Then on the second and third Sundays, we had John the Baptist both inviting us to and showing us the path of repentance. Today we witness him leaping for joy at his first encounter with the Messiah.
One theme that has been running through my reflections this Advent Season is the theme of being “patient in suffering, persevering in prayer, and rejoicing in hope” from St. Paul, as used in the Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee Year of Hope.
This year, Advent came at a time of so much uncertainty and anxiety in our country and in the world. This is why the call to be patient in suffering resonates with our desire to hold on to something or someone amid this agony.
The uncertainty and anxiety brought about by a myriad of concerns, challenges, and problems—the political uncertainties and bickering, the series of calamities, the reality of climate change, the violence and the wars, among others—caused much suffering that requires patience.
The call to repentance, prayer, and vigilance in the Gospels likewise resonates with this theme. It provides the spiritual underpinning of the journey, allowing us to persevere in prayer.
Deeper discernment
It is a prayer that leads to a deeper discernment which, in turn, leads to a conversion or radical reorientation in our life, which naturally finds expression in action.
The Gospel for today leads us to the grace of “rejoicing in hope,” the action that is the fruit of the process.
This is the journey of our Gospel narrative. We will return to this in our third and final point.
The second image of journey is in our Advent Wreath candles—the candles of hope, peace, joy, and love. The prayers for the lighting of each candle highlight the graces of the journey.
“Father, as we begin our Advent pilgrimage, we light a candle of hope. Grant us the courage to hope: hope for your presence, hope for your peace, hope for your promise.
“Father, as we journey on this Season of Advent, we relight the candle of hope, and we light the candle of peace. Grant us the courage to make peace: peace in our hearts, peace in our homes, and peace in our country.
“Father, at the height of our Advent walk, we relight the candles of hope and peace, and we light the candle of joy. Grant us the courage to experience joy in the hope of the Savior’s coming: joy in the face of apathy, joy in the face of sorrow, joy in the face of uncertainty.
“Father, as our Advent pilgrimage draws to a close, we relight the candles of hope, peace, and joy. And we light the candle of love. Grant us the courage to share your love: love for life and all creation, love for sinners and saints, love for the poor and the little ones. We thank you for the hope your Son gives us, for the peace he bestows, for the joy your Spirit pours into our hearts, and for your love that redeems us and shows us the way. Amen.”
Joy and praise
It is a journey from an interior space—finding hope in God’s presence, peace, and promise—moving externally from the heart to the bigger world with all its challenges and anxieties, praying for peace and joy.
It culminates in love, love for God expressed in love for others, a love that becomes universal, the agape love.
As the final line goes, “We thank you for the hope your Son gives us, for the peace he bestows, for the joy your Spirit pours into our hearts, and for your love that redeems us and shows us the way.”
The final journey image is the visitation of Mary of Elizabeth. It is a journey that leads to the consciousness of the presence of the Messiah, a presence that brings joy and praise.
“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb… 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…”
Mary set out to visit Elizabeth to rejoice with her and to care for her. Each time we do the same, to set out to visit those in need of presence and care, it become as moment of an encounter with the Lord.
It is an encounter of joy. Always joy.
