Fourth Sunday in Advent 'A'

Sunday December 23, 2007

Not to worry; I’ll Be There For You!

In the format for some three-day retreats, particularly youth retreats such as “Antioch” or “Search,” provision is made for personal witness and commitments in the concluding ceremonies. In essence, those who ‘made’ the weekend for the first time are invited but never forced to give testimony to what they have experienced during the weekend and then to make public their resolution to continue to live the experience on what is called “the fourth day.” I expect this is not unlike some recovery programs in which people acknowledge their particular addiction and their resolve to live free of alcohol or drug dependency—one day at a time.

In any event, in the midst of this witness and commitment, it is not unusual for someone in the group to voice support for the individual giving testimony with the phrase, “I’ll be there for you!” At first the words may sound hollow. However the words are a promise not only of physical presence but also firm moral support. It is a commitment on the part of the person verbalizing them not to be a crutch, surrogate parent or moral enforcement officer but a walking companion, a soul friend and a mentor.

It is a very unique relationship and not many people know how to “be there” for someone on a spiritual journey, or recovering from an addiction or from a significant life change such as divorce, a life-threatening illness or the death of a loved one.

When you stop and think about it, a retreat experience or recovery program can be a life and death experience for some people.

It is in the light of these real life experiences that the Scriptures for the Fourth Sunday in Advent take on special meaning. We heard God through the prophecy of Isaiah, say to the people of Judah and to us, “Not to worry; I will be there for you!”

Isaiah spoke of a sign that indeed, God would send someone who will be his presence in human form. He will be called “Immanuel” which comes from the Hebrew word immanu (with us) and el, the shortened form of Elohim. It is interpreted: “God is with us!”

Although Isaiah is more likely referring to the imminent birth of Ahaz’s son, Hezekiah, the fuller or deeper meaning of the text is found in the birth of Jesus in whom Christians experience the visible presence of God in human form—God with skin, as it were.

As it turned out, Hezekiah did not live up to the promise and turned out to be a weak example of the messianic presence of God. Little did Isaiah know how much the sign that he offered to Ahaz and the people of Judah in the eighth century before Christ would continue to speak to countless generations of believers to the present time.

St. Paul in his letter of introduction to the Romans, offers the assurance that indeed it did happen and that the sign of God’s presence would be found within the community of faith living in grace, which is the life of God raised to the conscious level through Jesus Christ.

God is within us from the very first moment of our existence but as with Hezekiah, we are more often blind to his presence by our preoccupation with self and our own will to do what we think is best for ourselves rather than what God knows is best for us.

Of course, it is not an either/or situation. God takes his partnership with us very seriously but will never dominate us or force our hand. God does not set our agenda or “do our agenda” for us. God gives us the insight and the wisdom to find our path in life and sends people into our lives—role models, heroes, and mentors—people who prod us but who do not push us. People who set high standards but who are aware of their own frailty and mortality. People who challenge us but never hassle us. Paul was such a person to the Romans, especially to the Greek gentile population who were among the poorest in Rome. And are not Paul and all the saints, named and unnamed, mentors for all of us?

However, no one can take the place of Jesus. As with the person who supports the testimony and commitment at the end of the retreat experience, God fulfills his promise to “be there” for us in Jesus, our silent and patient partner through life.

The Gospel serves as a birth announcement and more. Matthew collects the convictions of early believers that indeed, Jesus—Jeshuah, i.e., “God helps” or “God saves,” is indeed the fulfillment of Isaiah and all the prophets. In Jesus, God has proclaimed, “I am with you” in a manner that was not only unexpected but also unprecedented.

During these hours before the feast, perhaps we need to be among those who give witness to what we have experienced in faith or perhaps to give testimony to our need to be converted to a greater awareness of God’s presence in our lives. This takes frequent exposure to the Bible, faithful presence at this table, much prayer, and of course, active service to others. For others it may be the opportunity to say: “I’ll be there for you!” For family and for friends; for the abused and for the despised abuser; for the addict, for the divorced and separated, for the aged, and for the dying—present but not dominant; prodding but not pushing; consistent but not annoying; challenging but not hassling.

“Not to worry; I’ll be there for you!”

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