2020 Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, B Cycle
There are two things that are helpful to us today in this account. One is that God reveals himself to us first of all by hearing. That is, we need to listen to the word of God first before we can claim any right to have a deeper understanding. Many people today do not even try to listen to God’s word before giving their opinion or evaluating it. The sincere and humble soul, on the other hand, is always eager to hear the word and to consider it prayerfully before acting.
Then, of course, God can reveal himself by showing something to our sight. Sight is the most noble and most informative of our senses, so it is to be expected that God will give us something for our sight. What do we see? Our Lady saw an angel in human form who swiftly “departed from her.” We, on the other hand, must not presume on so lofty a vision. Rather, we should trust the Lord who says, “Who sees you sees me.” Our neighbor is the revelation of the Lord to us. Our neighbor tells us what the Lord needs from us: love, nourishment, rest, instruction, correction, encouragement, prayer, warmth. This was what Our Lady was doing at her annunciation, making yarn, accomplishing something for the edification of her fellow Jews.
Doctrinal
Homily
Outlines
TBD
TBD
4th Sunday of Advent B
Central idea:
Mary, Virgin Most Prudent
Doctrine:
The virtue of prudence
Practical application:
Growing in prudence
Homiletic Directory
- CCC 484-494: the Annunciation
- CCC 439, 496, 559, 2616: Jesus is the Son of David
- CCC 143-149, 494, 2087: the “obedience of faith”
The paragraphs were chosen either because they cite or allude to the specific readings, or because they treat topics found in the readings.
4th Sunday of Advent B
The Catholic Church teaches that by the grace of God we are transformed from a state of alienation from God to a state of righteousness with God. (The traditional words are state of sin and state of grace.) We take each of these words seriously. Grace literally means gift. Now, a gift is never earned. If we work for a gift, it is no longer a gift; it is a wage. We truly believe that God has freely chosen to transform us from sinfulness to righteousness, not because we deserve it or have earned it but only because God chooses to do so for us out of love freely given.
We do not become right with God because of our actions, prayers, good deeds, penances, or through any other process that is ours. We become right with God only through the love of God given us because of the merits of Jesus Christ our Savior. The power of the death and resurrection of Christ is the basis of our salvation; nothing else.
To be right with God is called the state of grace. We are in a condition of having been gifted by God. This gift given because of the merits of Jesus Christ consists in the very life of God created by God and imparted by God and abiding in us. At the very roots of our being, we have come to live in the power of the Holy Spirit and are able to do righteous acts. The state of grace makes it possible for us to do actions that are holy. Our behavior can be holy because holiness has been imparted to our very being.
Of course, we are still capable of sin if we deliberately choose to act contrary to the will of God. We can sin, but our humanness is not sinful in itself. By grace, we become partners with God in bringing God’s very holiness to all that we touch. We may choose to separate ourselves from the grace (gift) of God by deliberate and willful opposition to the will of God. We lose the state of grace when we choose to turn away from God in matters that are serious. Mortal sin is that kind of choice that repudiates God’s grace and leaves us “ungraced” or in a mortal or deadly condition. When we have lost the life of God in us which is grace, then we are dead or in a state of mortal sin.
At the very core of the Catholic tradition stands this belief and this teaching. God’s grace makes us good and acceptable to God. We are transformed by grace into holiness which comes from God. Holiness is not ours by nature. It is a gift from God, given and added to our humanness. The theologians say that grace perfects nature. The grace of God is not only very compatible with our human natures but actually brings our human nature to a sharing in the divine nature. Some Christians are very much opposed to this teaching.
See: The Catechism: #1987-2029
SOURCE: Portland Diocese, Used with Permission
Click on image at left to view a REVIEW of Ascensions color-coded book of the Catechism.
Video Catechism for Teens
3-Minute Catechism
3 Minute
Catechism
70 hand drawn and animated episodes, each 3-4 minutes long. The series follows and explains the Creed, covering all four parts of the Catechism.
Kathmedia
(Deutsch)