FOUR SUNDAY OF ADVENT 2025

 

FIRST READING

ISAIAH 7:10-14

 

The Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying: Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep as the netherworld, or high ask the sky! But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not tempt the Lord! Then Isaiah said: Listen, O House of David! Is it not enough for you to weary people, must you also weary my God? Therefore, the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.

 

RESPONSORIAL PSALM- Psalm 24

 

R. Let the Lord enter, he is king of glory

The Lord’s are the earth and its fullness;

the world and those who dwell in it.

 

For he founded it upon the seas;

and established it upon the rivers. R

Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord?

or who may stand in his holy place?

One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,

Who desires not what is vain. R

 

He shall receive a blessing from the Lord,

a reward from God his savior.

Such is the race that seeks for him,

that seeks the face of the God of Jacob. R

 

SECOND READING

ROMANS 1:1-7

 

Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set part for the gospel of God, which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, the gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh, but established as the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness through resurrection of the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith , for the sake of his name, among all of the Gentiles, among whom you are also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ.

 

GOSEL ACCLAMATION

 

Alleluia. Alleluia.

 

The virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.

 

Alleluia. Alleluia.

 

GOSPEL

MATTHEW 1:18-24

 

THIS IS HOW THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST CAME ABOUT.

When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph her husband, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord has said through the prophet,

 

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.”

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

 

As we enter into the fourth week of the Season of Advent, we are given a view of God’s Divine Plan for our salvation. We are reminded that through the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ was conceived inside the Virgin Mary. It is through Mary, the God Vessel, that the Word became flesh and Jesus Christ entered the world. This is known as the Incarnation and marks a pivotal moment in our Salvation Story, where everything that came before leads up to and is made perfect through it. In four short days, the world will celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and will be reminded, if only for a brief moment, the impact of that event over 2000 years ago; where the spiritual world merged with this physical world, bringing about such a consequential event.

 

Why do I write, “if only for a brief moment?” I do so, because it is unfortunately true. In our brokenness, pride, and ego, we as sinners tend to gauge the importance of something by its impact on us. If we cannot see this effect firsthand, it is reduced in its importance because we feel, either consciously or subconsciously, that we are not affected by it. Almost automatically, a lesser value is assigned to it and it is then treated as such. When it comes to our spiritually, there is always a danger that we will not fully experience it and a relationship with God will be lacking depth. Our five senses, which are naturally entuned to the physical, are of no assistance when encountering the spiritual. Moreover, it usually takes a lot of time and effort to have a fruitful spiritual life and spiritual experience. There is a process to go through and that process never ends but only brings us deeper. Most of us, at the beginning of this process, were unaware of what to do first and furthermore did not know how to approach God, let alone feel His presence within ourselves. How can we embrace something when we cannot even see it or feel its presence? This is a challenge that many people face, including possibly ourselves at one point or another in our lives. The key is to remind ourselves who Jesus Christ is and what that means for us. He, being the Son of God, came into this world exclusively for us and for our salvation. A supreme sacrifice was to be made, and He chose to do it. God so loved us, that He chose to do this, thus bringing our Salvation Story into the next chapter.

 

As it is written in the Gospel of John:

 

“God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son that we might not die, but live and have eternal life.”

 

What love one must have to offer one’s life for, not only a friend, but to those who might be considered enemies. Salvation has been paid for and is offered to all those who choose to accept it, including those who just might still be struggling with a relationship with God.

 

With these facts presented to us, how should we react to this message? We are encouraged to do so with love and an open heart. Acknowledging the divinity of Jesus Christ and understanding that He is God, challenges us with an obligation to structure our lives around our faith. If we don’t believe, then we are exempt from this obligation but, if we truly believe these things, then we have a lot of work to do. Our words and beliefs must be put into action. The Christian Way of life is a life of action and a life of reaction based on to the presence of the Holy Spirit and how it affects us. If we do not actively seek God, then we will never find Him. If we don’t ask for things, then we will never get them. If we don’t inquire about being received by Him, He will never receive us.

 

God has offered everything to us and is waiting for us to reply. The proper reply is through prioritizing prayer, worship, and the pursuit of wisdom through an understanding of our faith. As Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, so too we are asked and are further encouraged to show this through our actions. As the Apostle James wrote,

 

“Faith without works id dead.”

 

 This can be true about our relationship with Jesus Christ: If we do not practice our faith and love God through our thoughts and actions, then we are in danger of abandoned Him as His Apostles  did as He died on the cross. To prevent this from happening, the importance of both the Incarnation and the Crucifixion must be realized at all times. With love in our hearts and a smile on our face, we can then journey forward to the remainder of the Advent Season with a profound love of God.

 

Deacon Tom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Third Sunday of Advent

Lectionary: 7

Reading 1

Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10

The desert and the parched land will exult;
the steppe will rejoice and bloom.
They will bloom with abundant flowers,
and rejoice with joyful song.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to them,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the LORD,
the splendor of our God.
Strengthen the hands that are feeble,
make firm the knees that are weak,
say to those whose hearts are frightened:
Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
with divine recompense
he comes to save you.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.

Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return
and enter Zion singing,
crowned with everlasting joy;
they will meet with joy and gladness,
sorrow and mourning will flee.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10.

R. (cf. Is 35:4)  Lord, come and save us.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD God keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Lord, come and save us.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind;
the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.
The LORD loves the just;
the LORD protects strangers.
R. Lord, come and save us.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations.
R. Lord, come and save us.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2

James 5:7-10

Be patient, brothers and sisters,
until the coming of the Lord.
See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth,
being patient with it
until it receives the early and the late rains.
You too must be patient.
Make your hearts firm,
because the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another,
that you may not be judged.
Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates.
Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers and sisters,
the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Alleluia

Isaiah 61:1 (cited in Lk 4:18)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Matthew 11:2-11

When John the Baptist heard in prison of the works of the Christ,
he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question,
"Are you the one who is to come,
or should we look for another?"
Jesus said to them in reply,
"Go and tell John what you hear and see:
the blind regain their sight,
the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear,
the dead are raised,
and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.
And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me."

As they were going off,
Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John,
"What did you go out to the desert to see?
A reed swayed by the wind?
Then what did you go out to see?
Someone dressed in fine clothing?
Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces.
Then why did you go out?  To see a prophet?
Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
This is the one about whom it is written:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way before you.
Amen, I say to you,
among those born of women
there has been none greater than John the Baptist;
yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

 

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

 

Whatever conflicts or trials that we may be facing in our lives, can be made better through Jesus Christ. This is the concept of the Suffering Christ, whom we as Christians are encouraged to unite ourselves to regardless of the circumstances that we find ourselves in. Christ suffered and died for our sins so that we may receive everlasting life. Because of this, we already know the outcome of our life-story: we are destined to be reunited with our God and partake in the birthright that we are entitled to as Children of God. If this is our ultimate destiny, then why do we struggle with things that don’t measure up in their importance in comparison to what we have already achieved and received? What can this existence offer us that can be raised higher in value and importance to that which has already been offered to us from God? We should allow our entire perspective in relation to us being participators in this world to be changed with the understanding that God is with us and, as long as we remain in Him, there can be nobody against us.

 

One of the great motivators in society is conflict. There are constant forces which are opposing each other with the intent of overwhelming or defeating each other. There are those who have a lot, while there are others who have very little. The less fortunate often find themselves serving the fortunate with a desire to lift themselves to a higher status. There is the presence of power conflicts and opposing interests at work, with people taking positions based on their self-interests. Jesus Christ can be a major factor contributing to ending these cycles of needs and wants. He is the ultimate equalizer when it comes to ending such things in society and within us.

 

In the Scripture Reading from Isaiah today, Jesus Christ reveals himself as this equalizer. It is through Him that we can encounter peace. Whatever competing interests there might be that are fueling our lives, these can be set aside with the knowledge that it is Jesus who should take on a central position and that of the utmost importance in our lives. Putting Jesus first, positions Himself as the gate from which we can pass and filter all things, words, and actions through the concept of Him offering to us a new life and a new way at looking at things. With the presence of Jesus comes a special peace and understanding that just isn’t present without Him.

 

God is pure love. It is through love that His creation came into existence. From love, peace flows forth and can be uninterrupted if we allow it to be as such. Last week, we were encouraged to focus on Hope. Having that expectation about our future and eternity with God, should bring about a spiritual peace which then extends to all people that we interact with. A gradual separation from this world and a realignment of values is necessary to complete the picture. God tells us through Isaiah that Jesus will come and bring about peace. What was out of balance and corrupted will become balanced and uncorrupted through Jesus. He never causes any problems but always seems to be the one who fixes them. We too can be fixed and be emersed in the peace that His presence promotes. Fath is the vehicle that can take us to that peace and benefit from our interaction with it. Hope, love, and peace become inseparable

 

Praying for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and peace in our lives serves as an invitation for God not only to participate, but to also take control. Having Him direct and guide us instead of ourselves ensures that we will find ourselves in a much better place. As God said through Jeremiah:

 

“Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand,”

 

If we resist being molded and fashioned, we will turn out badly. Furthermore, if we try to mold ourselves, no good can result. It is only through our Creator, who fashioned us from dust, that we can become a masterpiece.

 

The cry of Saint John the Baptist in the desert, is a message for all of us. Repentance with a commitment to do better sets us on a path towards God. Entering into prayer and surrendering to Him, allows us to stay on that path. When this happens, God is with us and peace and serenity will result.

 

Deacon Tom MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

 

A major part of my ministry is to emphasize that the pursuit of joy is so much more fulfilling than the pursuit of happiness. Joy is a state of being while happiness is just a feeling that comes and goes, based on an  experience that is pleasing to oneself. When the experience fades from memory, so does the feeling that is attached to it. Joy has the capability of remaining for an indefinite period. It can also be argued that joy is more spiritual in its origin and can be described as an expression of the soul. The pursuit of joy encompasses a way of life and includes a relationship with God. The more the relationship deepens, the more joy can be experienced, regardless of the negative forces we might be confronting or the bad experiences that we might be having. These things can affect happiness and even take it away while joy can remain impervious to these things.

 The Scripture Reading from Isaiah today offers us a vision of perfection and beauty that can only be beheld through knowing and believing in God. Just as it offered promise and hope to the people of Judea during a very tumultuous time, it offers us the same hope and vision of pure joy today. The key to the splendor and glory it promises, is a complete trust and love of God. With God, there is always cause for celebration and an expectation of good things to come. With every storm comes a clearing and with every night, comes a new day. Notice how Isaiah describes how the desert and the steppes exult and rejoice, BEFORE the causation of their joy is revealed? The joy is present because God is present and, with Him, everything becomes better. The promises of restoration, healing, and love are enough to ignite the heart and elevate the soul.

Take a moment to contemplate: We are all aware of a better way and what a life with God in our lives is like. There have been times in all our lives where we have gotten things right, when things appeared to have come together in the most perfect way possible. There was cause for celebration when that happened and our hearts were lifted as a result. There was the presence of joy. There was the presence of God. Then, something happened. Just as it was with Adam and Eve, we were confronted with temptation and took back our will. We became driven by our pride and ego, thinking we could build upon our successes with selfishness and self-centeredness. We forgot about God and turned our back on Him, thinking that our successes were of our own making and not by the influence of Him who created us and loved us with abandon. We built our own Tower of Babel and attempted to touch the sky. Eventually, it all came crumbling down. I feel that we can look back and realize where we went wrong: We concentrated on happiness instead of joy. We embraced lust, greed, gluttony, and the rest instead of love. We distorted what God had given us and forgot the promises that He gave us.

Yet, amidst the carnage and devastation of our own demise, the words of the prophet Hosea ring out,

“Come back to me, with all your heart.”

God constantly calls us to return to Him and to be healed. He waits for us to realize what wrongs we have done and what mistakes we have made. Just as the father looked longingly for the return of his youngest son, so too does God await us to return to Him so the celebration can begin and the joy flow anew. We are encouraged to read back on these promises that God made to us, His people. We should remind ourselves that it is not God who breaks promises, but us. He remains faithful to us, even when we are faithless. When we turn our back on Him, (as we have done so many times), what does He do in response? He gives us an opportunity of redemption through the sacrifice of His only son. How much more can one give as a proclamation of love? 

Because of our pride and propensity to think only of ourselves, we tend to only look at our own situation in the moment, forgetting that an eternity of joy and life everlasting lies beyond anything that this world can offer. Even though we may be victims of circumstances where we find ourselves in less-than ideal situations, nothing can take away our ultimate destiny and our spirituality, which has the capability of freeing us from any type of captivity we might be experiencing, be it physical, mental, or spiritual.

 

We are now into the Third Week of Advent where we contemplate the promises of Joy through the realization of Jesus Christ. The more we focus on Him, the more we can be open to the gifts of Joy. Father Arseny, a Russian Orthodox Priest who spend 33 years of his life in a Russian Prison Camp, offers us an example of joy in the most inhospitable of circumstances. Whatever he faced, he faced with a complete faith in God. Through beatings, starvation, overwork, and bitter cold, he quietly repeated the Jesus Prayer:

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

The mercy and joy always came, carrying him through all his circumstances while he tended to those who were in greater need than he was.

There was nothing overly special about Father Arseny, that enabled him to benefit from a relationship with Jesus Christ. He was open to the graces and love of Jesus Christ and let them flow in. He offers us the perfect example to follow during this Season of Advent.

Happiness is a creation of man. Joy comes from God and from knowing God. As the Apostle John tells us,

“To know God is to love God.”

To love God is all the joy that we need.

 

Deacon Tom