Reflections on the Fourth of Advent

By Mgr Jan Jaworski

On the last Sunday of Advent, we approach the truth that God became human, because we hear Isaiah ’s prophecy concerning the Mother of the Redeemer, seven centuries before the fulfilment of the mystery of Bethlehem.

The Mother of the Redeemer is the guarantor of humanity, the presence of human nature in God who is to come. Her “yes” to the archangel Gabriel made possible  the unfathomable mystery of God-Man, the Son of God and Son of Man. If God came down on earth and had a human mother, then he wanted to be “God among us”.

How great the world must be if God himself, His Creator, entered into human history. How great is man – even when we do not see this and deny this greatness – if God himself lived on earth in human form. Because by becoming human, once and for all he approved the worth of earth and life on it; once and for all he uncovered delightful visions which expand far, far into eternity.

Advent is the time of humility, solitude and growth. For nine months, Christ grew in the womb of his mother.

The whole life is an advent, is the waiting for salvation and for the coming of the Lord, is the unceasing calling: Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down righteousness (Is 45:8). The words with which the Church turns to us are like the sounds of bells resounding over the earthly vale of tears from the heavenly height. So then let us follow the salvific voices along the straight road and let us not pay attention to the dissenting voices of the world so that at the end of our advent life we can kneel before our beloved mother and her beloved son – not before the poor manger and not at night, but before the throne of God in the splendour of the eternal day.

Today’s materialistic world – full of problems, enigmatic confusions and decay – needs simplicity, peace and harmony. This can be achieved through the Immaculate Mary, from the Mother of the Church. May she be for us all the sign of hope and comfort on the road. In the encyclical Redemptoris mater (1987), Pope John Paul II concludes: “I will ask above all of the heavenly Mother that she will condescend to be with us, who form the Church, meaning the Mystical Body of her Son”.

Preparing ourselves for the celebration of Christmas, let us understand that God is with us. He is always on our side, even then when his commandments are difficult and demanding. God is always with us and is prepared to hurry to our aid, if only we will not reject this aid. God comes to us, so let us not be afraid to open the door of our hearts, our society, or our country, to him.

This is the final in a series of articles Mgr Jan Jaworski wrote for The Southern Cross, completed just a few days before his death on October 8.