Homily for December 20, 2009

4th Sunday of Advent (Latino Mass)
December 20, 2009

We notice a lot of people moving about in the gospel stories before Christmas. They are moving because they are excited about the arrival of God at Bethlehem to join the human family. Christmas is the most important and happy day in all of history.
Today’s gospel tells us that Mary went “in haste” to visit her cousin Elizabeth. She was making this long trip because Elizabeth was an old woman expecting a baby. She needed help. So Mary made the three-day journey by foot to help her out. But Mary was in a hurry because she wanted to share the good news that God was already living in her womb.
Today’ gospel also says that the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leapt for joy at the sound of Mary’s voice. One could say that the child danced for joy in his mother’s womb.

On Christmas Day, we will read the gospel story about the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem. It will tell about the shepherd running about in search of the child born in an animal shelter. They were excited and wanted to visit the child as soon as possible.
Then in early January we have the Feast of the Epiphany. On this day we celebrate the arrival of the three wise men who traveled a long distance to visit Mary’s new-born child.

All these people moving about in our gospels around the Feast of Christmas teach us something important about how we should celebrate this great holy day.
Mary, traveling in haste, Elizabeth’s baby dancing in her womb, the shepherds of Bethlehem running to find Mary’s child, the wise men traveling a long distance – all these tell us that we should be very excited and filled with joy at the good news that God is coming to live with us because he is in love with us.