THE RISING SUN OF GOD

 SUNDAY, FOURTH WEEK OF ADVENT

Isa 7:10-14; Ps 24:1-6; Rom 1:1-7; Mt 1:18-24

Jesus, the Rising Sun

The readings for the fourth Sunday of Advent include some of the readings for 20 December. This is because the readings of 21 December are replaced with the Sunday readings. Hence, it would seem we are taking the same readings as those of yesterday. But the second reading and the Gospel are different. But the novena theme is that of the 21 December. We consider Jesus as the Rising Sun of God with healing rays. Just as the sun rises to dispel the darkness of the night, bringing in the day when people rise with new hope, joy, and aspiration for a new day, Jesus Christ is coming as a new dawn of divine revelation and spiritual energy. He brings new spiritual life, strength, and hope for eternity to men who live subdued by the forces of evil, sin, and death. Because he comes with spiritual light, we need faith to connect to him and receive the light that he brings. At his birth more than 2000 years ago, only men of faith, who believed in the word of God, were able to receive the light that he brought to the world. Today, as we celebrate the memory of his birth, we still need faith to connect to the light that has shone upon us as a result of his birth in human form. The celebration is not just a moment of eating and drinking; it is a call to faith in the word of God, that we may connect to his abiding presence and see with the light his birth shines on our human nature and destiny in God.

The king of Israel, Ahaz, found it difficult to rule the house of Israel, which belonged to God by institution, because he lacked faith. God established the house of Israel for divine purposes and not for any private purpose. Because he was out of tune with the will of God, Ahaz could not see the abiding presence of God that would defend the house of David from any plot of men or demons. Isaiah, the prophet, was sent by God to point this truth out to him. To prove the presence of God to defend the throne of David against those who threaten it, God gave him liberty to ask for a sign that would convince him that God is with the house of David. “The Lord spoke to Ahaz and said, ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights above.’ ‘No,’ Ahaz answered, ‘I will not put the Lord to the test.’” This was the wrong answer to the liberty God gave him. When God demands that we do something, we have no choice but to follow his direction. The king’s attitude is grounded in the misunderstanding of his role as king of Israel. He was never made the king to do his own will, but to carry out God’s will. This requires faith, for without faith it is impossible to please God. The same applies to each of us, in our different vocations. God calls us to listen to his word and do his will, and not to do what we fancy. Thus, every vocation entails discipleship when we learn the will of God.

Saint Paul had his moment of discipleship when he was tutored on the will of God and what he was called to proclaim. He gave us the details of vocation in Jesus Christ in the second reading, which is his understanding of God’s will for him. “From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus who has been called to be an apostle, and specially chosen to preach the Good News that God promised long ago through his prophets in the scriptures.” The Son of God is born for us as the Sun rising with healing rays; all men are called to faith in the Son of God appearing in human nature. Each of us must receive his illumination and become part of him to illuminate others with the light we have received. We must play our roles as willed by the Father and revealed through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. We acknowledge him as the descendant of David and the Son of God; we proclaim him as such to be saved from our sins and evil. We proclaim what we have received from God, and not our own ideas. We must let go of our own personal dreams and ideas to embrace God’s will and proclaim it with our lives.

Joseph had no idea he was chosen by God for a grand role in the revelation of God’s plan for the salvation of all men. He had already decided to carry out his own plan regarding the Virgin Mary betrothed to him. But God called him to order through the angel. He humbly submitted to God’s will by setting aside his own dreams and plans. “He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’” The revelation of God’s will about our lives comes with a divine command, which we must follow and never doubt or prevaricate about. It is a thing of honour to be called to serve the cause of the King of glory. We must lift high our gates, that is, our human wills, so that the king of glory may enter and give us life and light. This is the reason God created us, that we may live in communion with his Son, Jesus Christ. Our salvation is in following him and doing his will in all things.

Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.