THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT--12/11/11 by Msgr. Eric R. Barr, STL READINGS: IS 61:1-2.10-11; i TH 5:16-24; JN1;6-8, 19-28 (It was said that the Prophet Elijah would be seen in the days just before the coming of the Messiah. He was a great traveler, and could be expected almost anywhere. He might come from the skies in a fiery chariot, just like the one that took him from earth so long ago–in fact that old song, "Swing Lo, Sweet Chariot," talks about that fiery chariot of Elijah. So he might come in a fiery chariot, or he might walk the roads disguised as a pilgrim or a traveler.)
One winter, almost 2000 years ago, Elijah was wandering about North Africa, in the country of Tunisia, helping poor people who were in distress. He met a poor family in total poverty, but having given away his last coin, could not help them. So Elijah gave himself over to the family as their slave, and told them to sell him in the market-place. The husband and wife knew he was Elijah, thanked him and did his bidding. They sold him for a good sum of gold, and shared their wealth with their neighbors. Elijah was bought by an official who served the King.
Now every night the King dreamed of a beautiful palace where he could sleep in peace, but none of his architects could design a plan for the royal palace that was faithful to the King’s dreams. Elijah, overhearing the King describe the palace, asked if he could sketch the King’s description. So well did he draw the palace, that the King asked Elijah if he could also built it. Elijah replied, "I am but a slave, and which free craftsman would agree to work under a slave? Free me first, and I will build your palace."
Now Elijah had the power to free himself at any time, but he did this to test the King. Not wanting to lose a talented slave, the King said yes, provided Elijah could complete another difficult task after he built the palace. With the help of angels working at night, the palace was soon completed. Elijah asked, "What must I yet do, my lord to gain my freedom?"
And the King spoke, "Take this silken scarf to the market tomorrow. And if you can sell it for ten thousand gold coins, you are free. Sell it for one coin less, and you will remain my slave as long as you live." The scarf was only worth one or two gold coins. That night Elijah traveled in his fiery chariot a great distance–across the deserts of Libya and Egypt. He arrived at Bethlehem the hour that Jesus was born. Elijah wrapped the child in the silken scarf, and held Him in his arms for the longest time. At dawn, he returned the Child Jesus into Mary’s arms. Elijah took the silken scarf with him back to North Africa.
Every buyer in the marketplace, on coming close to the scarf, could smell the scent of Paradise upon it. The King, who secretly disguised himself, came pushing towards the front of the crowd to see what the great interest in this ordinary scarf could be. When the King caught a whiff of the sweetness of Paradise, he began bidding higher than anyone else. Intoxicated with the scent of Paradise, the King bid a thousand coins, five thousand coins, and finally ten thousand coins.
Elijah the slave was free. And now Elijah the Prophet returned to the heavens knowing he had announced the coming of the Messiah to humanity. The King slept restfully that night, and all the nights of his life, with the scarf covering his pillow. He dreamed of the Peace and Goodness of Paradise. In the marketplace, everyone remembered the Peace the scent had brought each of them. The fragrance of Paradise had seeped into their world! The richest of the rich, the most powerful of the powerful, the poorest of the poor were given new hope!
I. Searching for God
A. Funny how we all search for the things that we think will make us happy–money, power, fame, even a beautiful home or palace like the King wanted in the story that was just told. Down deep we are really searching for happiness, for peace, The People of Israel were just like us two thousand years ago. They knew they needed a Messiah, but they had forgotten why and forgotten what that would really mean. They thought John was the Messiah, but he said a mightier one than him was coming. But because the people had forgotten their roots, they could not recognize the Christ. So Jesus walked in their midst and they did not see him.
B. We are in danger of becoming like these people. We have decorated shopping malls and streets, we have trimmed the tree and bought poinsettias for our home, but have we decorated our hearts, have we remembered what Christmas is really for? How many of us could tell the Christmas story by heart to our children? How many of us could explain right now the reason why Jesus came to walk among us?
C. We need to use this Advent Season as a time to re-orient our priorities, to re-discover the presence of Christ in our midst. Searching for God? Look to yourself for Bethlehem has come to our hearts. That’s really the meaning of the Scriptures today. Seek Christ not in wealth, or power, or fame, or possessions–look to your hearts; he is being born again right here this Christmas.
III. The Eucharist Will Call Us Home
A. Here’s a way to get closer to God; here’s a way to experience this presence of Christ more clearly. Just before we receive the Eucharist, the host is held up and John the Baptist’s words are spoken, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." Our search for the Messiah is already completed because through Baptism, we are given the privilege of receiving the Eucharist. Christ is really, truly present in the Eucharist. In that story I told, the people rejoiced over the scarf of Elijah, a piece of cloth that held the Baby Jesus. It wasn’t even Christ; it gave off simply the smell of Paradise. But we, we have Jesus–not straw from a manager, or the smell of a new born babe, but we really have Jesus, truly in the Eucharist. The people in that ancient story changed their lives because of a piece of cloth, but we’ve got the real thing–Jesus Christ himself. That ought to make us joyful–it’s why the color of this week is rose, for joy, for hope, for happiness that Christmas is only two weeks away.
B. But we are only going to be convinced of this if we remember what we were taught as kids, what our traditions are, what we as Catholics have always known: In the Eucharist, the Messiah comes to visit us–we touch the Lord in Communion. To reverently receive the Lord at Mass, to go to the Sacrament of Penance to cleanse our souls, to come back to our seats after we receive and speak to the Lord in song or spoken prayer–these are the ways we become a people who remember that Christ is born in our hearts.
C. Want to have a really good Christmas? Then start remembering that the Child who is born in the manger is the one we receive at Mass, the Christmas tree points the way to the Cross, the gifts in our homes represent the greatest gift of all–God’s gift of his Son to us. Searching for God? Look to yourself, for Bethlehem has come to our hearts.
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