December 19 Fourth Sunday of Advent

Year of Saint Joseph

Year of the Family "Amoris Laetitia The Joy of Love"

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 63:10-19 Community Rank

Mass: Micah 5:1-4a; Resp Ps 80; Heb 10:5-10; Lk 1:39:45

Rouse your power and come to save us.

O Root of Jesse, who stand as a sign among the people, before whom kings shall shut their mouth, to whom the nations shall make supplication: come to deliver us, and tarry not.

I have been with two images this morning. First, there is Mary who "set out and traveled to the hill country in haste" to pay a visit to her cousin Elizabeth. Second, in our "O"Antiphon, we address God with the Old Testament title "Root of Jesse", and ask Him, come to deliver us, and tarry not. As the days of Advent wane, and the days leading to the celebration of the Nativity of the Lord wax, we too want to make haste and tarry not. We want to continue to prepare the way of the Lord in our own hearts and make straight His paths. On the First Sunday of Advent, we were thinking about things that may be wearing us down, making us drowsy, those things that weigh down our hearts and minds that come from the daily struggles of life at home, work, in community or wherever we find ourselves. On this Fourth Sunday of Advent then, let's turn again to Saint Benedict and his Tools for Good Works for Tools, or one Tool to implement this week to keep us alert and ready and prepare the way of the Lord. Make haste ... tarry not.

Honor everyone (RB 4:8).

Visit the sick (RB 4:16).

Love your enemies (RB 4:31).

Do not grumble (RB 4:39)

Do not speak ill of others (RB 4:40).

Guard your lips from harmful or deceptive speech (RB 4:51).

Pray for your enemies out of love for Christ (RB 4:72).

If you have a dispute with someone, make peace before the sun goes down (RB 4:73).

Never lose hope in God's mercy (RB 4:74).

When the human spirit is ready, God enters without hesitation or waiting. You need not look either here or there. God is no farther away than the door of the heart.

(Meister Eckhart)

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Our Advent Wreath, ready for Week IV.

© Gertrude Feick 2021