Collect for Fourth Sunday Advent Year C

COLLECT SERIES

 

Advent wreath: Fourth Sunday Advent.

COLLECT

 

The Collect for the Fourth Sunday Advent Year C reads as follows:

 

O God, who through the child-bearing of the holy Virgin

graciously revealed the radiance of your glory to the world,

grant, we pray, that we may venerate with integrity of faith

the mystery of so wondrous an Incarnation

 and always celebrate it with due reverence.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

 God, for ever and ever.

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

 

In making this prayer tangible for during the week, the following reflection questions emerged.

 

1.What is my relationship with Mary as mother?

2. What does the Incarnation- the birth of Christ mean to me this Christmas?

3. How do my celebrations of Christmas exhibit due reverence?

4. How can I prepare spiritually for Christmas during this last week of Advent?

5. Make a review of Advent and make a spiritual resolve for Christmastide season.  Remember that Christmastide is a quick season from Christmas Day to Epiphany (about 12 days approx.).  Make Christmastide season count.

 

GOSPEL REFLECTION.

This Gospel from St Luke 1:39-44 highlights Elizabeth (cousin of Mary) and St John the Baptist (in the womb) recognising the Messiah whom Mary was carrying as an expectant mother.  It also highlights Elizabeth’s due reverence and faith and shows her gratitude to Mary for accepting the role of being the ‘mother of my Lord’.

The longer version of the Gospel gives Mary’s response to Elizabeth in the form of Magnificat.  However, it is as though the Church wants our attention to focus on Elizabeth- she was initially barren- something which was a huge disappointment in those days not to be able to have a child.

Then even though she was past child bearing years, she was able to conceive.  Her husband Zechariah doubted and was silence by archangel Gabriel. So Elizabeth had to deal with not only being pregnant in advanced years but her husband being struck dumb for the whole pregnancy.

She also recognises in this encounter how John the Baptist in the womb leapt for joy also.  This is a meeting of John and Jesus in utero for the first time and even at 6 months in utero, John was able to recognise the Messiah- perhaps the  words’ Look there is the lamb of God’ which he said later were formed at that moment in the womb too.

 

The question we need to ask ourselves too I think is how do we react to meeting Christ.and/or Mary?  We can speak with them anytime 24/7 in any place.  We meet Christ in the eucharist- He is truly present.  Do we spend those precious moments at communion time being in communion? Are we like John the Baptist and our souls leap for joy.

Every time we pray we are communing with Jesus and/or with Mary.  We especially speak with her through the Rosary.  Do we talk with our mother every day either in a formal prayer ( such as the Rosary) or spontaneously as son/daughter to our spiritual mother.

 

During this week in the busyness of our preparations for this great feast, why not try to spend a few moments each day reflecting on this Gospel.  There is a lot to offer in this Gospel especially if we sit with it.