4th Sunday of Advent (Español) (Vietnamese)
Opening Prayer
Loving Father, as we prepare for the Season of Christmas,
open our hearts to welcome your Son in our lives. May we
celebrate his presence within us and rejoice that he is truly
Emmanuel - God with us. We ask this Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Commentary
1st Reading: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8-12, 14, 16
David loved the Lord so much that he could
not consider having the Ark of the Lord dwelling
in some tent while he himself lived in a
palace. Upon David’s command, the people
were to build a more suitable place for the Ark.
The Ark itself and the tent which contained it was designed
by the Lord Himself. But, the Lord was moved by David’s
desire to give Him honor. In return, God promised David
an even greater house - not of cedar - but of a kingship that
would last forever.
The Lord blesses David and says, “Your house and your
kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall
stand firm forever.”
This kingship would include a great heir who will be God’s
son. Of course, as Christians, we know that this heir is
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. He is the King
of kings and Lord of lords.
But, far from being the end of the line, Jesus is the beginning
for all who choose to dwell in His kingdom. For his
kingdom lasts forever.
How do you see yourself as a part of Christ’s kingdom?
2nd Reading: Romans 16:25-27
“Forever and ever.” These words from Romans are the way
we often end our prayers. Indeed! The Lord Jesus lives
forever and ever.
As we read in the 1st Reading, His kingdom has no end.
The great John Newton hymn, Amazing
Grace, reminds us of this eternal kingdom
of which we are a part:
“When we’ve been there ten thousand
years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.”
Forever and ever is a long time. But, this great gift of
everlasting life begins with Jesus who died so that we might
enjoy eternity with God. This Christmas, let us give thanks
to the Lord for such a wonderful gift!
Question
How will you thank the Lord this Christmas for all the good
He has done for you?
Gospel: Luke 1:26-38
In our 1st Reading, we recall the beauty of the Ark which
bore the Law of God. The very essence of God was within
the ark.
Our Gospel today tells of another ark.
However, more than just a container
of God, this motherly ark gave to
Jesus her real human DNA. More than
the Ark of the Covenant made of
human hands in which was placed the
divine law, Mary is the new Ark in
which was conceived the God-man,
Jesus Christ.
Something radically new has begun.
This is news worth pondering and
proclaiming.
Yet, as we proclaim Christ born of a
Virgin, we should also proclaim his
very presence within us. For, we are
the temple of Christ dwelling within
us. As Church we reveal the presence
of God with us - Emmanuel.
To acknowledge Christ within us, we
must be ready to act as His servants. As Mary said, “I am
the handmaid of the Lord,” we should respond, “We are
servants of the Lord. Let it be done to us according to his
will.”
Question
How do you see the Lord abiding in you?
This Week's Task
There is a gift that you can give to others which does not
need to be wrapped.
Your gift of inviting friends or relatives to Christmas
Mass with you and/or inviting them to be a part of your
Christ in Our Neighborhood group may forever change
their lives.
Ask someone who has not been to Church in a while and
give the gift of an invitation to come back for Christmas!
Pray or sing this traditional Advent hymn:
O come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heav’nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
The prayer continues with Psalm 89
Response: For ever I will sing the
goodness of the Lord.
The promises of the LORD
I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall
proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said,
“My kindness is established forever”;
in heaven you have confirmed your
faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations.”
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
“He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the Rock, my savior.’
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm.”
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
Conclude with an Our Father
Merry Christmas!
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