Fr. Chris - Fourth Sunday of Advent - Homily

“Preparing to Join the Lord with Lectio Divina (Sacred Reading)”
Final Part 4: Contemplatio (Contemplation)
 

It was the seventh day of lockdown, in fact, the Fourth Sunday of Advent, when John decided to turn off the TV, shutdown his cell, even put down all the books and magazines he had lined up to read on the table next to his easy chair. His department at the plant was also completely closed, so he had no work to do.
 
John was on his own, wife and children unfortunately locked down in the big city two hours away. He needed to stay close by the plant in case of any emergencies. Meanwhile, Zoom and FaceTime calls cheered him up, but he greatly missed the distractions of his kids, and the comfort and love of wife and home.
 
Today, he sat in silence, taking stock of his life, which was a good life, but asking himself why God would let such a miserable, life-and-death circumstance like a pandemic happen to him and the rest of the world.
 
Suddenly, he was reminded of the YouTube mass videos his parish was posting, and the Advent homilies his local priest was giving on this contemplation thing called: divine lectures? Frankly, he was fairly skeptical about it. It all sounded too unbelievable to him, stuff only the saints experienced. “God or Jesus talking to me? I don’t think so.” Although it was supposed to be much better than Zoom.
 
Frustrated with his situation with God and the world, but now equally curious about this lecture thing? – (Lectio Divina), he went to the parish’s main website, found the pastor’s ‘Blog’, and read his latest homily series on how to do it.
 
It said, “First you read a passage from scripture”. He decided he might as well use today’s gospel about the ‘Annunciation’. It was in the ‘Living With Christ’ his wife had left him on the sofa table, hoping he just might read it. Normally, he didn’t fuss over the Bible, but at least Mary was human. When she had this unbelievable experience with an Angel telling her she would be the mother of Christ, it was still something ‘human’ beings could relate to. And, so, he began to read, straight through, then a second time, then again, but slowly now, words standing out at him.
 
For some reason, the end of the gospel bothered him: “Let it be done to me according to your word.” He kept mulling over it, realizing this must be the Second Part, the ‘pondering’ part of the pastor’s directions. In fact, it bothered him so much, in his thoughts he started angrily questioning God: “How could anyone just accept anything dealt them without asking, ‘Why are you doing this to me?’ How do you just let something happen to you without complaint or asking questions? Isn’t that crazy? Look at this pandemic thing. We didn’t ask for it. Why should we be just complacent, like it’s nothing at all, and we’re happy to suffer?” Clearly, John was already in the Third Part: asking God about a certain word or phrase.
 
But something strange and unexpected started to happen to John. It overcame him like alpha waves as he sat with his eyes closed. It was calming his brain, his breath, his heart rate. He felt a tremendous peace embrace him, a euphoria flow through his mind as his thoughts dissolved away. Then he heard a gentle voice speaking to him: “You suffer to learn, John. God is love. God loves you enough to allow suffering to develop your spiritual wisdom by experiencing it. All his gifts to you are gifts of love: challenges and blessings, adversity and grace, all to increase your soul. Even suffering is a gift of love. Do not be afraid; only believe. Unlimited trust and acceptance of him who can do anything eclipses anything the material world offers. Do not worry about things of this world. Simply accept situations, knowing the God of Love is guiding and nourishing you for a special reason. Mary knew suffering was part of what she accepted. All mothers know childbirth can be horribly painful, risky, and difficult, yet they know a gift of love waits for them. Ground and strengthen yourself with a supernatural, spiritual outlook on life which far exceeds the natural. And remember, John, you are never alone. I am with you always.”
 
After this Fourth Part, the final, true contemplative part of his lectio divina prayer came to an end, once God released him, John walked for hours in the quiet streets, along the lake-shore, even across a field laden with snow, still in a euphoria. John would still complain about suffering, but now it was only pretense, because, like Mary, he had experienced some kind of connection with his Creator. He couldn’t explain it. But it didn’t matter. The experience was developing his soul’s wisdom, just as his suffering in life was. He realized all too clearly God is in control, not us. So, the Final Part of the instructions was easy: God simply took over as John let go.
               
  – Rev Fr Christopher Tracey, Saint Joseph Parish, Saugeen Shores, Ontario