The Joy of Meeting Jesus

Blessings to you on the 4th Sunday of Advent, Beloved brothers and sisters!! (I know that we will celebrate Christmas this week, but I will wait to write a Christmas greeting until the Christmas season. I am a bit of a Catholic purist in this regard.) We are so close to our celebration of the Nativity of Christ. I hope that you are all blessed and filled with joy as we prepare to greet our Savior.

Speaking of being blessed, did you notice John the Baptist’s reaction when Jesus and Mary arrived in our Gospel this weekend? He leapt and danced for joy! There was already a connection, in the Holy Spirit, between John and Jesus. This testimony may remind the reader of David’s reaction before the Ark of the Covenant. When those filled with the Spirit of God come into the presence of the Divine their response is often to celebrate or sometimes to lie prostrate in awe. It is always a moment of great love.

This challenges us in a couple ways: we have to remain filled with the Spirit consistently, and we have to be able to recognize the presence of God when He is manifesting in some way. Like John, we want to be so connected to the Lord that we recognize His presence immediately. If we do recognize Him, our love for Him will cause us also to react. We may experience His presence in the proclamation of the Word. We may recognize His presence with other people. We should always understand that He is present in the Holy Eucharist. Like the Saints, we should be grateful that He is with us and respond in awe and celebration.

Lastly, our Gospel today reminds us of the humanity of the unborn child. Even in the womb, John was still a prophet, Jesus was still the Divine Son. We should never allow the world to pressure us to compromise on the dignity and worth of the unborn child. Elizabeth, inspired by the Holy Spirit, recognized the presence of her Lord, even as He lived in Mary’s womb. Jesus has made the womb a sacred place that safely protects the dignity of the child. We should always declare their right to life.

Have a most blessed Christmas with those you love, which I hope includes your parish family!

Rev Matthew S. Bonk