A Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

+ Everything in the epistle of this holy Mass follows from the Apostle’s admonition that we should be ministers of Christ and dispensers of the mysteries of God. We must therefore know what exactly is contained in this exhortation. To be a minister of Christ is to fulfil that which He needs doing in a particular moment. It is a recognition that “in doing this to the little ones you do it to [Him]” (Matt. 25:45). Whilst this is most visible in the corporal acts of mercy, the spiritual acts of mercy have a higher dignity as bringing the recipient directly towards Christ as well as the giver.

Bringing forth the mysteries of God, which are by their very nature beyond the comprehension of finite man, is therefore at the heart of this Apostolic saying. This is far from denying that we never ought to deepen our understanding of the nature and will of God, but rather that we must allow Him to take charge of us. We must break, through His grace, the chains of sin which fasten us to the vanities of the world. If Christ Who is God could say that He came not to do His own will but the will of the one Who sent Him (John 6:38), how much more does that apply to us who were not sent, but individually and uniquely created by Him.

Ministers of Christ, furthermore, cannot recreate things according to their own desire, nor can they change that which has been handed on to them. Whilst it is not impossible that new material will be found within that which we have received, that which is new is found—as in an old chest. It is merely brought to light under divine inspiration, so that the wise man can bring forth treasures new and old (Matt. 13:52). This is still nothing more than passing on what is received, yet ever should we earnestly seek to assure the brilliance of the treasure is retained, even refreshed. How can we confess with St Augustine of the “ever ancient ever new” (Confessions book X) awareness of Christ if we allow the treasure of His Truth to be tarnished with cliché or lack of clarity?

Words, nonetheless, are not enough. To live a lifestyle which is not in conformity to the Gospel, which we are required on to preach, will inevitably push people away from a seemingly hypocritical mission. Despite our best efforts our sinful condition often drives us to fall away from the pristine practice of virtue. Ever must we renew our conversion from the world the flesh and the devil to find Christ ever more faithfully. St Benedict himself speaks of this zeal to turn to God, urging the abbot that being “anxious regarding the account which will have to be given for others, he is made solicitous for his own sake also; and while by his admonition helping others to amend, he himself is cleansed of his faults” (RB 2).

Unquestionably, most of us do not have the same responsibility over the souls of others as does an abbot, yet we can nonetheless, in giving counsel to another, use that same counsel to be cleansed of our own faults. The two need not be distinguished. The monastic and desert tradition are filled with examples of a monk doing penance on behalf of his confrere, taking up another’s fault as his own, that he might return to Christ and be converted from his sin.

This is the will of God: that we might come to Him and bring our neighbour with us by whatever means are necessary and possible whilst avoiding sin. Christ became man to destroy the power of sin and death, so likewise His ministers must participate in that same war against the power of the devil. +