Fourth Sunday in Advent 'C'

Sunday December 24, 2006

Less Is More and ‘yes’ is everything!

Several years ago amidst the rush of parent meetings for First Reconciliation and pre-Christmas preparations, Sr. Diane, our parish director of Religious Education at that time made this insightful remark: “Less is more!” Three words that truly made a difference in her life, in my life and surely for the parents of our young candidates for Reconciliation. For a start, she relieved the anxiety and guilt of parents who were simply snowed under by obligations and responsibilities to family and career.

I for one am convinced that Christmas should be postponed until July when nothing else is happening. Yeah, right! There is no good time for the Christmas rush or for any rush.

Some years ago, I received a phone call a local reporter who was preparing a story on New Year’s resolutions. She asked if I had any pastoral recommendations. I told her I didn’t believe in them. No one keeps them anyway particularly those that are made on the morning after the New Year’s Eve party!

I explained that in our tradition, we take a hint from the Sacred Scriptures particularly during Advent and Lent. These are special seasons of opportunity to reflect on the rhythm of our life. Rather than pump more into life, it may be far more ‘productive’ to fine tune the prevailing patterns of our lives and eliminate some unhealthy habits that derail us from time to time. “Less is more!”

The Scriptures on this fourth Sunday in Advent make this an opportune time to check the rhythm of our life to see whether or not it is in tune with God’s life. Simplicity is key to successful living and a healthy spirituality.

Micah the prophet lived in an obscure village in the foothills outside of Jerusalem, not far from Bethlehem. As many of his contemporaries, including the great Isaiah, he socked it to the political and religious establishments of his time because of its neglect of the poor who were the first to suffer the effects of political unrest and religious indifference. The political scene was extremely complex — when was it ever not so? — And the religious establishment had become corrupt. He exposed the sins of wealthy merchants, the corruption of the judicial system, temple prostitutes and the indolent and arrogant clergy chastising them for their failure to respond to the prophet’s call to a change of heart.

However, Micah makes it clear that God’s hard-nosed compassion would eventually prevail. The word for this Godlike quality is ‘hesed’ which is translated loosely as “God’s loving kindness.” The word defies translation. Biblical commentator, Pat Sanchez, describes it as “a steadfast covenantal love that does not fade despite the sinfulness of those whom God loves.”

Micah makes it clear that a new ruler would be sent to ‘shepherd’ God’s people but this ruler would be neither Democrat nor Republican, conservative or liberal. It was more likely that he would be an unknown figure from the hinterlands, e.g., Bethlehem. “You, Bethlehem-Ephratha too small to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler n Israel….” He shall be the personification of the ‘hesed’ of God, a man of peace and good will. “Less will be more.” He will breathe God’s breath and be filled with God’s spirit.

Are you getting the connection with the feast?

Of course we in the Christian era view Micah’s prophecy fulfilled in Jesus Christ who indeed was the ‘hesed’ of God in all its fullness.

Elizabeth’s greeted Mary with a burst of enthusiasm—a response of total joy in anticipation of what was to come. If Gospel means “good news” then surely Elizabeth’s response should be a prototype of our own response to mystery of Christmas—an enthusiastic ‘yes’ to God with a corresponding embrace of our loved and unloved ones.

Indeed, our ‘yes’ is more. Our ‘yes’ is everything!

On this fourth Sunday of Advent, it has been my custom to read a reflection on the feast by Kahlil Gibran entitled, “Eventide of the Feast” from his larger work, “Secrets of the Heart,” I was first introduced to this meditation by a college volunteer when I was serving as a part time weekend chaplain at the Passaic County Youth Hostile at Preakness in 1967. Since that time, I have read this meditation and shared it again this year with the congregations to whom I have ministered. In order to maintain its impact, I have made modest edits for the sake of clarity and adaptation to our culture the ever-changing meaning of language. It may be found by clicking ‘Notes, Quotes and Comments’ to the right on this page>.

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