Fourth Sunday of Advent

The last Sunday of Advent has finally arrived! On this fourth Sunday, the Gospel recounts the story of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary and her total openness to God’s Will. Our Lady shows her certainty that only by doing God’s Will can we find true joy and peace.

How beautiful is Our Lady’s ‘yes’! The ‘Yeses’ that we say to God are also beautiful and important. The Lord respects our will, just as he respected Mary’s. God does not impose His will, but rather, he knocks on the doors of our heart and waits for our free response. Just as God’s whole plan of redemption flowed from Mary’s ‘yes’ so too do many graces flow from the ‘yes’ that we say to God for ourselves and those close to us.

By lighting the fourth Advent candle, we pray for the grace of a generous heart and the courage to abandon everything to God, just like Mary did. During this week, let us keep the doors of our heart open so that the Baby Jesus can be born and rest with us.

God Bless Us
And the Virgin Protect Us