Sunday Mass for the 4th Sunday Advent 2020 - Year B

Welcome to St. Ignatius Chapel. Today we celebrate the 4th Sunday of Advent. Our celebrant today is Jesuit Fr Matthew Charlesworth SJ. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. [Amen.] The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. [And with your spirit.] Brothers and sisters welcome to this 4th Sunday of Advent.

00:55 - As is tradition during advent we light candles, and this week we light the fourth candle to remember the coming of Christ this Christmas. Christ, our light, is coming into the world. As we prepare ourselves to celebrate this most sacred mystery, let’s call to mind our sins. I confess to Almighty God and to you my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do. Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault.

02:01 - Therefore, I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the angels and saints, and you my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God. May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins and bring us to everlasting life. [Amen.] Lord, have mercy. [Lord, have mercy.] Christ, have mercy. [Christ, have mercy.] Lord, have mercy. [Lord, have mercy.] Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we to whom the incarnation of Christ, your Son, was made known by the message of an angel; may by his passion and cross be brought to the glory of the Resurrection, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. [Amen.] A reading from the second Book of Samuel. When King David dwelt in his house, and the Lord had given him the rest of all his enemies round about, the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.

” 03:51 - And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart; for the Lord is with you.” But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.

05:39 - I will be his father, and he shall be my son. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.’” The word of the Lord. [Thanks be to God.] I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord. [I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord.] I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord. Through all ages, my mouth will proclaim your fidelity. I have declared your mercy is established forever, your fidelity stands firm as the heavens. [I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord.] With my chosen one, I have made a covenant. I have sworn to David, my servant, “I will establish your descendants forever and set up your throne through all ages.

” 06:59 - [I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord.] He will call out to me, “You are my Father, my God, the rock of my salvation.” I will keep my faithful l for him always. With him my covenant shall last. [I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord.] A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Romans.

07:45 - Brethren, to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed and through the prophetic writings is made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory for evermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. The word of the Lord. [Thanks be to God.] Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be to me according to your word. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! The Lord be with you. [And with your spirit] A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke. [Glory to you, O Lord.] The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

09:32 - And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I do not know man?” And the angel said to her,“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

10:57 - And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. The Gospel of the Lord. [Praise to you, Lord, Jesus Christ.] In this morning’s readings, the 4th Sunday of advent, we are asked to notice God’s initiative in everything. I think there are three points that we are invited to consider today. The first is that as we prepare to welcome Christ this Christmas, and to remember his wonderful birth into the history of the world and into a relationship with everyone.

12:12 - We are reminded that at the end of the day, it is not about us but it is about God. There are two transformations that take place in our readings this morning. In our Gospel, Mary is transformed from a young girl, betrothed to Joseph, to being, we believe and we celebrate, the mother of God. A little less spectacularly, but no less life changing, in our first reading, David is told by God that he will no longer be just a shepherd boy, but a shepherd king, a prince among his people. The Gospel story fulfils the promise made in the first reading.

13:00 - Quite often, when our circumstances change, we might believe it is because of our efforts. But in both cases, it is from God’s initiative, and it is simply a blessing for which the only response should be gratitude and wonder. If we look at the first reading for a moment, David notices how well he is living in a house of cedar, and that God is still housed in a tent. So, he offers to build God a better house. On the one hand, there is a naïve presumptuous concern at work here, but in another sense, David is thinking how he can save God.

13:51 - And this is a reversal of our creature-creator relationship. David cannot bring salvation to God, it is God alone who saves. And God, by living in this tent, that moves with the people where they are, is the One who saves David again and again. God reminds David that it was God who took him from the pasture and plans to bless his offspring. There’s a word play on house here. David is thinking in terms of structures and a place, but God is talking of a people and a time.

14:35 - In fact, David’s line of kings remains blessed for 400 years. This episode in David’s life becomes known as the blessing of God’s covenant with Israel, a covenant that could not be broken by failure or enemy powers, as are mentioned in today’s Psalm. When eventually the dividing rulers where eliminated in the Jewish exile, a hope grew within Israel, that God would restore the dynasty, and re-establish his covenant. Once the nation returned from the exile, and identified this wonderful event as God’s restoration of the covenant, the hope sprang up that he would someday also re- establish David’s heir and give the people political independence as well. And this is where Jesus the Messiah enters, but even he surprises his followers.

15:38 - At each stage God is inviting us to think bigger and stretch our imagination of who God is. Remembering that we are creatures to be saved by God, and that we can do nothing without God, is I think the point that our first reading is trying to make today. We cannot encase God in a single place, the house of cedar. God dwells with his people, in that image of a tent. It is where the people are. And we have to recognize God with us, and allow God to save us, time and time again.

16:23 - The second point is that God is a God of surprises, and we should try to see things from God’s perspective. Sometimes God does the opposite of what we ask, but in God’s plan, it is always the thing we need, rather than the thing we want, that God will bless us with. As our second reading says, this is only what scripture has predicted, and it is all part of the way the eternal God wants things to be. He alone is wisdom. Give glory, therefore, to him through Jesus Christ forever and ever. We recall that tragedy befell the Jewish nation when they were exiled.

17:13 - And it is hard sometimes to see blessings whilst living through a tragedy, as we might well reflect on the events of 2020 and COVID-19. But God’s blessings are there in the faithful love that God has for us. We need to see things through God’s eyes, and not see things from our own perspective. When we read the prophets, in light of the death and resurrection of Jesus, which is really the whole theme of the letter to the Romans. Christians understood that God had planned salvation to come, with the lowly entrance of Jesus to our world.

17:58 - It was a coming that was hidden from many Jewish believers, but not all of them. And it was revealed to pagans as well, many of whom did believe. Indeed, instead of a great Jewish hero destroying pagans, God sent a Messiah who would call together both Jews and Gentiles to follow in his ways. Our Gospel this morning talks about how God will use the lowliest of his servants to achieve the dreams of the poor and the mighty alike. Mary is presented as someone who, aware of her own unimportance, is unsure of why she was chosen, and is disturbed by the news of this pregnancy.

18:47 - In fact, she was terrified and afraid, yet she finds it within herself still to say yes to God. And that I think is the third point we are asked to reflect upon today. How do we say yes to God in our own lives, even when we are afraid? Mary responds with the perfectly obedient spirit of those who expect God to act in their lives. And God’s actions are surprising. Can we say yes to God, and allow God to act in our lives? All of today’s readings are talking of God’s promise to save us, to send his Son to save us, to be present to us in our own time, in our own life. Not hidden away in a building, but being present to us in order to save us.

19:50 - As we prepare ourselves for Christmas, can we remind ourselves that it’s not about us, but about God? Can we see things, the world, even ourselves, the way God sees us? Can we say yes to God, when God acts in our life? This year has brought many surprises, and even tragedy into every home. Can we remind ourselves that God is wanting to be present to us, to save us, and to comfort us? Can we notice how God has been acting in our lives this year? Christmas is traditionally a time of presents and gifts. There have been several gifts given to us this year. One is the way we now treasure and protect human life, and our relationships and families. God is making us aware of how our economies need to be at the service of people, and not people at the service of our economies.

21:01 - In the midst of tragedy, and loss, and fear, there is always hope. Hope and trust that God is with us, that he will not abandon us. In fact, we celebrate God is with us this coming Christmas, where we remember how God entered the world in the most unlikely of ways, and that God’s coming changed everything. God’s blessings are everywhere, in the air we breathe, in the people we love, in the good persons we are called to become. But God is not content with just blessing us with things and people.

21:46 - He wants to bless us with God’s self, and so Christ entered the world. This is what we are preparing to celebrate and give thanks for. Let’s spend some time now in prayer, considering what kind of gift we want to be to those we love, to our families, and our friends. Let’s pray that we might see the God of surprises and be able to say yes to the blessings he is wanting to gift us with. Aware that faith itself is a gift from God, let us profess our faith, giving thanks for it, as we say together the Apostles Creed.

22:58 - [I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.] In the trust that all things are possible with God, we turn to the Father with our prayers. For Pope Francis, our bishops, priests and deacons: that they may continue to guide us, and lead us in the ways of holiness. Lord, hear us. [Lord, graciously hear us.] For our world: that government bodies may safeguard the rights and dignity of every person, from conception to death, through the laws they enact and the policies they develop. Lord, hear us. [Lord, graciously hear us.

] 24:57 - For our advent celebration: that it would be a time of reflection of the coming of Christ, filled with prayer, repentance, and love for God and neighbour. Lord, hear us. [Lord, graciously hear us.] For those whose lives are closely linked with ours: that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as Christ loves us. Lord, hear us. [Lord, graciously hear us.] For those who find Christmas a time of difficulty rather than joy, especially children, or those vulnerable or at risk: that they may be comforted by God’s grace working through others. Lord, heard us. [Lord, graciously hear us.] For all pregnant women, especially those experiencing difficulties: that they may find strength in prayers to our blessed Mother. Lord, heard us. [Lord, graciously hear us.] For our own community of faith: that we may accept the challenge to model our lives on the life of Christ in response to his call to lead lives of holiness. Lord, heard us. [Lord, graciously hear us.

] 26:23 - For all the sick and suffering, the homeless, the unemployed, the lonely or housebound, and all those suffering from addictions, and anyone in any kind of distress: that they will draw hope from the coming of the Christ child. Lord, heard us. [Lord, graciously hear us.] God of everlasting love, we ask you to answer our prayers and pray that only your will be done in and through us. We ask this in his name, Christ Jesus our Lord. [Amen.] Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life. [Blessed be God for ever.] Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received this wine we offer you: fruit of the vine and work of human hands, it will become our spiritual drink. [Blessed be God for ever.

] 28:20 - Pray, my brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours, may be acceptable to God the almighty Father. [May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of God’s name, for our good and the good of all God’s holy Church.] May the Holy Spirit, O Lord sanctify these gifts, laid upon your altar, just as he filled with his power, the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. [Amen] The Lord be with you. [And with your spirit.] Lift up your hearts. [We lift them up to the Lord.] Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. [It is right and just.] It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Christ our Lord.

29:22 - For all the oracles of the prophets foretold him, the virgin mother longed for him with love beyond all telling, John the Baptist sang of his coming and proclaimed his presence when he came. It is by his gift that already we rejoice at the mystery of his nativity, so that he may find us watchful in prayer and exultant in his praise. And so, with angels and archangels, with thrones and dominions, and with all the hosts and powers of Heaven, we sing the hymn of your glory, as without end we acclaim: [Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.] You are indeed Holy, O Lord, and all you have created rightly gives you praise.

30:29 - For through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, by the power and working of the Holy Spirit, you give life to all things and make them holy, and you never cease to gather a people to yourself, so that from the rising of the sun to its setting, a pure sacrifice may be offered to your name. Therefore, O Lord, we humbly implore you by same spirit graciously make holy these gifts which we have brought to you for consecration, that they may become the Body and Blood of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at whose command we celebrate these mysteries. For on the night he was betrayed, he himself took bread and giving you thanks, he said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying: TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT, FOR THIS IS MY BODY, WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU. In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice, and giving you thanks, he said the blessing and gave the chalice to his disciples, saying: TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT, FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD, THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT, WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR ALL FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME. The mystery of faith. When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, O Lord, until you come again.

32:32 - Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial of the saving Passion of your Son, his wondrous resurrection, and ascension into heaven and as we look forward to his second coming, we offer you in thanksgiving, this holy and living sacrifice. Look,we pray, upon the oblation of your Church, and recognizing the sacrificial victim by whose death you willed to reconcile us to yourself. Grant that we who are nourished by the body and blood of your Son and filled with the Holy Spirit may become one body, one spirit in Christ. May he make of us an eternal offering to you so that we may obtain an inheritance with your elect, especially with the most blessed virgin Mary, mother of God, with Saint Joseph, her spouse, with your blessed apostles and glorious martyrs, Saint Ignatius, and with all the saints, on whose constant intercession in your presence we rely for unfailing help. May this sacrifice of our reconciliation, we pray, O Lord, advance the peace and salvation of all the world.

33:52 - Be pleased to confirm in faith and charity your pilgrim church on earth with your servant, Francis our Pope, Buti Tlhagale and Duncan Tsoke our bishops, the order of Bishops, all the clergy, and the entire people you have gained for your own. Listen graciously to the prayers of this family, who you have summoned before you. In your compassion, O merciful Father, gather to yourself all your children scattered throughout the world. To our departed brothers and sisters, and to all who were pleasing to you with their passing from this life, give kind admittance to your kingdom. There we hope to enjoy forever the fullness of your glory.

34:41 - Through Christ our Lord, through whom you bestow on the world all that is good. Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honour is yours, for ever and ever. [Amen.] At the Saviour’s command and formed by divine teaching we dare to say together: Our Father, [who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.] Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days.

35:50 - That by the help of your mercy, may we be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. [For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and for ever.] Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your Apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will, who live and reign for ever and ever. [Amen.] Holiday time and especially near Christmas can be very stressful at home, and so I’d like to invite you to think of all the people that you love, that you would like to make peace with. May the Prince of Peace enter your hearts as we say, the peace of the Lord be with you always. [And with your spirit.

] 37:05 - Lamb of God, [you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.] Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb. [Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.] May the Body and the Blood of Christ keep us safe for eternal life. [Amen.] Although you cannot receive physical communion with us now, we invite you into a moment of spiritual communion. The great medieval theologian, St. Thomas Aquinas, defined spiritual communion as: “an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Holy Sacrament”, and “a loving embrace as though we had already received him.” His words are echoed by the great mystic, and fellow doctor of the church, St.

Teresa 38:36 - of Avila, who wrote: “When you do not receive Communion, and do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion which is a most beneficial practice. By it, the love of God will be greatly impressed on you.” At this moment we invite you to focus on Christ, and your longing for union with him. Express your desire to feel his grace coursing through you, giving you strength and courage, particularly in these difficult times. In your desiring union you are united with us, and to Christ. In this moment we experience the reality that is already here. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son; and his name will be called Emmanuel. Let us pray. Having received this pledge of eternal redemption, we pray, almighty God, that as the feast day of our salvation draws ever nearer, so we may press forward all the more eagerly to the worthy celebration of the mystery of your Son’s nativity, who lives and reigns forever and ever. [Amen.] I’d like to thank you very much for journeying with us this advent, as we prepare to celebrate Christmas, where the light of the world may enter our lives anew. There is a special advent blessing, and I’d like to impart that now. The Lord be with you. [And with your spirit.

] 42:02 - May the almighty and merciful God, by whose grace you have placed your faith in the first coming of his only begotten Son, and yearn for his coming again, sanctify you by the radiance of Christ’s advent, and enrich you with his blessing. [Amen.] As you run the race of this present life, may he make you firm in faith, joyful in hope, and active in charity. [Amen.] So that you who now rejoice with devotion at our Redeemer’s coming in the flesh, you may be endowed with the rich reward of eternal life when he comes again in majesty. [Amen.] And may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, come down on you and remain with you forever. [Amen.] Our mass is ended, let us go in peace, glorifying the Lord with our lives. [Thanks be to God.] .