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Bishop's Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

December 22, 2024

(mylu / Shutterstock.com)

Homily of Most Reverend Larry Silva, Bishop of Honolulu
[Immaculate Conception Church, Lihue]

About a month ago, I attended the National Catholic Youth Conference in Long Beach, California.  It gathered over 3,000 youth from throughout the country, including over 90 from Hawaii.  There were many moving moments, but most of the young people themselves identified the most moving part as Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.  It was inspiring even to see many of the youth leave their seats and kneel closer to the stage where the Blessed Sacrament was exposed, so that they could be closer to Jesus.  They knew that this was not just some sacred wafer encased in a beautiful vessel to show it off, but rather the true presence of Jesus.  They felt his presence there, and it was very moving to them – to all of us!

Today we hear of Mary traveling some 90 to 100 miles from Nazareth in Galilee to the hill country of Judea to visit her relative Elizabeth, who, as a very old woman, thought to be past the years of childbearing, was now in her sixth month of pregnancy.  Just before this passage, we see Mary being told by the Archangel Gabriel that she herself, as a virgin, was to conceive and bear the Son of God Most High, and that his name was to be Jesus.  Mary already carried Jesus in her womb when she met Elizabeth.  Now remember, this was way before texts, emails, and telephones, so Mary only became aware of Elizabeth’s pregnancy through the Archangel Gabriel.  And Elizabeth only became aware of Mary’s pregnancy through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Elizabeth – and even the child in her womb, John the Baptist – just sensed that the Lord was truly present in Mary.  The babe leaped for joy in the presence of Jesus, and Elizabeth gave Mary a greeting that revealed she already knew Mary was carrying the Lord himself.

Of course, we presume that Mary went to see Elizabeth not only to share their mutual good news, but since she stayed with Elizabeth for three months, she must have been there to help Elizabeth in those final three months of her pregnancy.  She visited her, not only to rejoice with her but to serve her in her needs.

The amazing thing for us to remember is that when we receive the Lord Jesus in Holy Communion, his Real Presence is not just on the altar, but it is in each one of us.  When we leave this Church, we will be carrying Jesus within us, just as Mary was carrying Jesus within her womb.  And just as those young people recognized the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, it is our hope that everyone we meet will recognize the presence of Jesus with us.  When we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we take him into our bodies, so that wherever we go, Jesus can go as well.  We are like tabernacles of his Real Presence.  This is not so that people can genuflect before us, but so that they can sense Jesus within us, as Elizabeth and John the Baptist sensed his presence in Mary.  We hope that they will be filled with joy, perhaps not even knowing why, or thinking that it is our own personal presence that moves them.  But we know that it is the presence of Jesus, hidden within us, just as he was hidden in the womb of the Virgin Mary.

Like Mary, we are called to go out to others who are in need to serve them.  With the power of Jesus within us, we can comfort those who have lost a loved one; call back someone who is going astray and set him back on the right path; lend a sympathetic ear to those who are suffering anxiety or frustrations; reach out to the poor and hungry with our prayers and resources; and bring joy to those who are feeling gloomy or depressed, especially at this special time of year.

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem, a city extolled in today’s first reading from the Prophet Micah, we remember that “Bethlehem” means “House of Bread,” and we rejoice that the Bread of Life, the Living Bread come down from heaven has chosen to make each of us his Bethlehem, so that his loving presence can reach every corner of the world, and sometimes without knowing the reason, fill it with rejoicing that the Prince of Peace is with us.