Fourth Sunday of Advent-A

Fourth Sunday of Advent 

Good evening/morning every one. I am  so happy to welcome you all for today's Holy Mass. Our special welcome to all our parishioners, visitors and every one here today. 

Friends in Christ Jesus, let us thank God almighty for brining us all here to this beautiful Church of St. Jean de Brebeuf/ St Paul the Apostle Church. Let us thank God for sending His only Son our Lord Jesus Christ to be with us for ever. Let us thank God for showering upon us His countless blessings each and every day. 

Now let us take a moment to celebrate the Sacred Mysteries of our Lord Jesus Christ, calling to mind our sins, short-comings, pain, failure and sufferings asking divine assistance and Christ our Lord's forgiveness, mercy, compassion and love. 

Our special welcome to all our visitors today.  On the other day, someone asked me about how many hours it would take to travel to India. It's about 16 to 18 hours of flying and the amazing thing is at the end of travel, I will look like exactly the picture in the passport. If you ever want to lose weight, India is the best place. It's so hot and your fat will melt. 

Once a wife said to her husband, "You won't believe that I had a dream in which you are giving me a diamond necklace for Christmas and I don't know what it means. The husband said, "wait and see". Even before Christmas, she said, "I had the same dream that you are giving me a beautiful diamond necklace for Christmas and I don't know what it means. The husband said, "Wait and see". On Christmas day, the wife saw a Christmas gift waiting for her on the kitchen table...thinking how she tricked him opened the gift and there she saw a book named, 'How to interpret dreams'. 

Once a famous Canadian spiritual man said, 

 n 1950s, kids lost their innocence. They were liberated by their well paying jobs, cars and new music and there came a new term called 'Generation gap'. 

In 1960s, kids lost their authority, it was a decade of protest against Church, government and parents. They rejected authorities and yet nothing was replaced it. 

In 1970s, kids lost love and it’s a decade of miism. Its about self-image, self-love, self-help, self-growth and so on. Since everything was about Me...me, they forgot about the true meaning of love. 

In 1980s, kids lost their hope, they were stripped of their innocence, authority and self-love. They were more confused than ever. Nothing gave them meaning. They began to experience more pain and suffering, more depression and anxieties. They stopped believing in future. 

In 1990s, kids lost in the world of cyber space. Objects became subjects and subjects became meaningless. And thus we now live in a world of confusion, chaos, rejection and loss.  

But still there is hope, there is faith and there is love for those who put their trust in Christ our Lord. 

Yes, the fourth Sunday of Advent brings us all more hope, more faith and more love. 

Today's gospel is about Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  

It says that Joseph was a just man. Just man means one who is honest and God-fearing. Joseph did everything according to the will of God. He prayed to God unceasingly and practiced his faith going to synagogue and helping people who were in need. He put God first in everything he said or did. Everyone knew him in the small town of Nazareth and that is why when he found out that Mary was pregnant before marriage, he was afraid that his community would judge and stone her to death and thus wanted to dismiss her quietly. 

Because of his faith in God and service to community, he was blessed to have angels visiting him. When he was confused about the situation, the angel came to help him. Yes, as we put our faith in God and do everything according to His call, we too will be blessed to have angles  visiting us. God never abandons those who put their trust in Him. 

The story of Joseph brings hope to the hopeless and invites us to hope in God through Christ our Lord.  

Today's gospel also talks about Mary. 

Though Mary was chosen by God in a special way, God still sent His angel Gabriel to announce the Good News and asked her willingness to be the mother of God. God did not take her free will away. When Mary said, "let it be done according to His will", then only things began to change.  

Today if anyone comes to know that she was chosen by God, the very next day...she will get more likes on Facebook, she will be busy of tweeting and texting. She would say that I met with angel Gab and he was so cute... lol and so on. 

But Once Mary came to know that she was chosen by God, she became more humble and simple. She began to be more active of doing things for the glory of God and His will. She extended her faith visiting Elizabeth and others and helping all. The Church today honors her as the Mother of God, Ever Virgin and Immaculate. 

Today's gospel speaks about Jesus the only Son of God. The very name of Jesus has power and He came to save humanity and take them all back to His Father's kingdom. While all the prophets, kings and holy men and women failed to bring divine love, wisdom and knowledge, Jesus came at last and asked us all to call God, "Father', the highest revelation of all.  Everything Christ our God said through miracles, wonders and preaching take us to God our Father.  yes, He brought love...love that is unconditional.  

Conclusion: Because of Christ, we have more hope and Because of Him, we have more faith and because of Him, we have more love. Once a man prayed to God saying, "God, the world is without hope, faith and love...please do something before we die without faith, hope and love' And God said to him, "Son, I already did something". He said, "what did you do". God looked at him and said, "I created you".  Let us not become another question but be an answer. Amen.