Monday, December 21, 2015

December 21 - Homily for Today - O Oriens

+ The joyful anticipation of the arrival of the Christmas celebration is increasing to fever pitch. The Prophet Zephaniah in the first reading encourages those waiting for the Messiah to shout for joy and sing exultantly…be glad and exult with all your heart – because God has decided to favor his people with forgiveness and mercy and to remove their guilt and their sin forever. The Lord will be Emmanuel to them - in their midst - and there will be no reason to fear again!

In the gospel passage, Elizabeth and the child of her womb, John the Baptist, revel in the exact proximity and nearness of the Lord, quite literally. The fruit of Mary’s womb – Jesus – is recognized and hailed by Mary’s kin, just inches away from each other and there is great rejoicing in that household that day. Yes, Emmanuel is here!

May rejoicing and exultation, merry making and singing be found in our households – beginning today – as we focus in now on the final few days before the great solemnity of the Lord’s Nativity!

For we know that he has already come, he comes when we call him, and he will come again when he is sent to judge us on our deeds of charity done for love of his Father and him. May we have an enormous supply of them to show him on that day.

Exult, you just in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.


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