Homily For Fourth Sunday of Advent Year A, 18th December, 2022

Readings: Isaiah 7:10-14;  Ps. 24; Rom. 1:1-7; Matt. 1:18-24.

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

IS GOD STILL WITH US?

Today is fourth Sunday of Advent, the Sunday that ushers us into the Holy Season of Christmas, the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ, an event that reminds and reveals to us the great plan of God towards redeeming humanity. Little wonder our readings today focused on the revelation of God’s plan to dwell with us and redeem us. 

Hence we heard in our first reading how prophet Isaiah when the people of God were passing through crises, war and oppression, told King Ahaz to ask for a sign from the Lord no matter how deep. But in false humility Ahaz said he will not put the Lord to test. In response prophet Isaiah said: ‘Listen now, House of David: are you not satisfied with trying the patience of men without trying the patience of my God, too? Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. It is this: the maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son whom she will call Immanuel, a name which means “God-is-with-us”

This prophetic words came to fulfilment in the life of Mary at the event of Annunciation, who having received this message from Angel Gabriel, accepted God’s will and plan for her. For she is about to have a Child without any human relations but by the power of the Holy Spirit. This grace- filled event reveals the special role that Mary playing in God’s plan for human salvation. But when Joseph realized this, he was heartbroken since Mary was betrothed to him and he loved her so much. But what will he do? How is he going to handle this? The Gospel tells us that Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put Mary to shame, resolved to send her away quietly before the angel in a dream spoke to him about his mission and role in the salvation of humanity.

Here, we see the magnanimity of Joseph’s heart and soul. How he wished to follow his own plan, but God was reserving another plan for him, a greater mission. Joseph was a man who always listened to the voice of God, he was deeply sensitive to his secret will, he was a man attentive to the messages that came to him from the depths of his heart. He did not persist in following his own plan, he did not allow bitterness to poison his soul; rather, silently he was ready to make himself available to the event of the new mission entrusted to him, what a great virtue.

Little wonder the Angel said to him: Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him Emmanuel, a name which means ‘God-is-with-us’ as we have it in our Gospel passage today.

Thus, St. Paul in our second reading today said: this news is about the Son of God who, according to the human nature he took was a descendant of David: it is about Jesus Christ our Lord who, in the order of the spirit, the spirit of holiness that was in him, was proclaimed Son of God in all his power through his resurrection from the dead. Through him we received grace and our apostolic mission to preach the obedience of faith to all pagan nations in honour of his name. This means that Jesus is that Word of God made Flesh and dwell with us. He his the “Emmanuel” God with us.

But the question before us today remains: is God still with us? If the answer is yes, Are we still with God? These  questions are very important because a deep reflection on what is going on in our societies and the world at large, one will surely have doubts about the presence of God in so many activities and events in our lives today. I have heard people asking very pertinent question concerning the circumstances around them saying: Is God still with us especially with the present situation in their lives? Is God still with us with this present situation in our country, our societies and our families? Is God still with us with the sad news of kills and kidnapping of innocence souls in our society. 

Is God still with us when greedy men and women are looting the common fund and resources of our nation? Is God still with us when bribery and corruption have become a way of life? Is God still with us when we make and promulgate bad rules and regulations that are destroying human lives and our environments? Is God still with us when immorality and wickedness have become the fashion and a way of life. Is God still with us brothers and sisters, when true love is seen as a scam, or impossible virtue? Is God still with us when holiness, honest, integrity, hardworking, life of sacrifice and sincerity have become old school? Is God still with us?

Dear friends the answer to these questions is not blowing in the wind, because God is with us much more than we can ever imagined. But the questions remains are we still with God? Are you stand with him? Is  my way of life showing that I am still standing with God? For one thing is sure, you can choose to be with someone but you can not force anybody to remain with you. God has chosen to be with us and he is always with us but are we with him? Are we still paying attention to him? Are we listening to what he is saying to us? Are we not running away from God? Are we not saying to him,  leave us alone so that we can do whatever we want? Are we not feeling restricted by the presence of God around us? Are we not saying to God, I don’t want you now, come only when I need you? And after we have separated ourselves from God, now we are calling on him whom we have abandoned even when he had never abandoned us. 

Therefore, it is time to come back to God for he is very much with us, I don’t know how far we have separated ourselves from God, it is time to come back for he is coming to be with us. I don’t know how tough our activities this year have been, what is important now is that God is with us, but are we with him? He wants to help us, are going to listen to him? He wants to guide and save us, are we going to follow him? If the Lord is with us, are we going to remain with him?  We have left God and followed our own plans and the results are obvious, why not learn to follow the plan of God like St Joseph and Mary?  But,like king Ahaz we have abandoned True Love, holiness, honest, integrity, hardworking and the results are very obvious, hatred, wickedness, corruption, greed, kills, kidnapping. Now let us come back to God who is always with us. For the psalms today says: who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place? The man with clean hands and pure heart, who desires not worthless things. Who has not sworn as to deceive his neighbours. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, only the soul for whom you have done great things can truly proclaim with fitting praise the joy of your presence. As we embrace your words today, may we always remain with you who is always with us as we joyfully surrender our whole life, our senses, our troubles, our barrenness and loneliness in anticipation for you coming who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful Sunday celebration