December 19, 2021

Fourth Sunday of Advent, Cycle C

Micah 5:1-4; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45

In the last several weeks, I have conducted wake services for two women. As I usually do, if the family wants it, I invite before the final blessing the end of the service for anyone that feels comfortable to say something in remembrance of the deceased. The wake service is a great time to do this, since its less formal structure is more conducive to the relating of fond stories of the person’s life than is the more formal eulogy within the funeral liturgy. At both wakes, those relating anecdotes shared not any great coups or life-altering successes, but instead remembered the simple things that each had done throughout their lives that made them very special in the lives of others around them. The famous American Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote, “most people would succeed in small things if they were not troubled with great ambitions,” and I think this is proven by these women [ https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/small-things-quotes ]. They had made a big impact on their families and friends by the totality of the small things that they had done and the love by which they did them. At a wake service, I try to say words which will bring some comfort to the families, many of which I am meeting for the first time. I can do so, I think, when I hear these stories, because I can say that they remind me of the stories of our Savior and His impact on the lives of those he touched. This similarity is brought out in today’s readings.

The prophet Micah in the first reading tells Israel that her Savior will come, not from the impressive city of Jerusalem, but instead from the same little town of Bethlehem that their great King David came from, the same humble beginnings. In just six days we will hear of the actual birth, also simple, and with little fanfare other than a band of shepherds. It is special now because we know how it will end, but the beginnings were just a series of simple events, and they will stay humble as Jesus grows up in the still smaller town of Nazareth.

The same is true of the Gospel, where Mary makes a simple trip to visit her cousin, and yet the simple words they say in greetings to each other convey so much meaning and importance. We have Mary with the unborn Jesus and we have Elizabeth with the unborn John the Baptist. Two pregnant relatives visiting each other. And yet, we have the simple words of Elizabeth which form the first half of that simple but great prayer the Hail Mary.

Both Mary and Elizabeth are about to become mothers; both of the wake services that I did were for mothers and grandmothers. Both Mary and Elizabeth will become moms to both Jesus and John, and will do all the little things that will help make their sons grow up to be the great people that they become. Just as with the women at the wake services, they will do all the thousands of little, simple things during the childhood of Jesus and John that will allow them to mature and grow in holiness so as to achieve their role in the plan that God had laid out. God knows what he is doing, even if we don't always understand.

We have today six people who change the world in profound ways. We have Mary and Elizabeth, but also their husbands, Joseph and Zechariah, who are not directly in the story but are near to the events. And then we have Jesus and John, both unborn but present, who will change the world with their simple words of repentance and atonement, preparation, non-violence, and helping those in need – that is, love of God and neighbor. We honor the two sets of parents for humbly doing what God asked of them. God asks this of us too, whatever role we play in our household as well as extended families, whatever role we play in the community, whatever role we play in our choice of career.

In just a few moments, many of you will come up to receive the Eucharist. This is just a small piece of bread which has been turned into something special – the Body of Christ. Sometimes, when one of us makes a mistake and we fail to set out enough bread hosts, we need to do what is called cracking, that is to split the communion wafer into two or four or even more parts so that there are enough for everyone who wishes to receive at the Mass. Now when this happens, does the recipient at the altar receive one half of God, or one quarter of God? Of course not: God is God, indivisible, no matter how small he might appear at any given moment. God wants us to accomplish something very, very big – the salvation of our souls. Maybe counter-intuitively, he want us to accomplish this by things small and simple. Sometimes we get wrapped up in a cycle of thinking that everything is better when it is more elaborate and expensive, when in fact the simple acts of prayer and kindness are what actually are the most important, and what we should be remembering in this time of Christmas: a small town called Bethlehem, a little manager to use for a crib, humble parents that form just a simple carpenter's family.

As we continue the Mass, let our Eucharistic celebration honor the simplicity of our Lord and his message. May it help nourish us to carry out the humble acts of kindness that make life worth living and do the will of God, and not be lost in the temptation to always want something bigger and superficially better. May Mary and Elizabeth, Joseph and Zechariah intercede for us to guide us on how we should come and adore him as we finish up this Advent season in preparation for receiving Jesus into our lives.