Fourth Sunday of Advent - 19 December

Fourth Sunday of Advent - 19 December 🌟

The fourth candle of Advent represent Peace and is called the “Angel’s Candle.” The angels announced that Jesus came to bring peace. He came to bring people close to God and to each other again. It reminds us of the importance of peace as the true Saviour of the world is coming. This candle is also purple to represent the culmination of love through the Messiah.

Reflection

A reflection on today's gospel reading by the Venerable Archbishop Fulton J Sheen:

"One of the most beautiful moments in history was that when pregnancy met pregnancy - when child-bearers became the first heralds of the King of Kings. At the Annunciation the archangel told Mary that her cousin Elizabeth was about to become the mother of John the Baptist. Mary was then a young girl, but her cousin was “advanced in years”

…

"Mary “went with all haste”; she is always in a hurry to do good. With deliberate speed she becomes the first nurse of Christian civilisation. The woman hastens to meet a woman. They serve best their neighbour who bear the Christ within their hearts and souls. Bearing in herself the Secret of Salvation, Mary journeys five days from Nazareth to the city of Hebron, where, according to tradition, rested the ashes of the founders of the people of God: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. “She gave Elizabeth greeting”. She, who is to bear Him Who will say: “I came not to be ministered unto but to minister”, now ministers unto her cousin. The handmaid of the Lord becomes the handmaid of Elizabeth.

"On hearing [Mary’s] greeting, the child whom Elizabeth bore within her “leapt in her womb”. The Old Testament is here meeting the New Testament. All the longings and expectations of thousands of years as to Him Who would be the  Saviour are now fulfilled in this one ecstatic moment when John the Baptist greets Christ, the Son of the Living God. “Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” A Pentecost came before Pentecost. The physical body of Christ within Mary now fills John the Baptist with the Spirit of Christ. John is sanctified by Jesus. So Jesus is not as John - not man alone, but God as well.

"Now Elizabeth adds the second part [of the Hail Mary] in a “loud voice”. “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.” Old age is here not jealous of youth or privilege, for Elizabeth makes the first public proclamation - that Mary is the Mother of God. She learned it less from Mary’s lips than from the Spirit of God nestling over her womb. Mary received the Spirit of God through an angel; Elizabeth was the first to receive it through Mary." (The World's First Love)

An Advent Prayer

O Lord, incline Your merciful ears to our prayers and enlighten the darkness of our hearts by the light of Your visitation. Almighty God, fulfill our desire and kindle our hearts by Your Spirit, that being filled with the oil of Your grace, we may shine as bright lights at the coming of Your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. 🙏💖💐🌟