FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

READINGS AT MASS

Isa. 35:1-6, 10

Psalm 24

Rom. 1:1-7

Mtt. 1:18-24

Theme: A REFLECTIVE PAUSE

Dear friends in Christ, N'wokafu YESU KRISTO...

Psalm 24, our Responsorial Psalm for today is a liturgical psalm. With call and response, it is a whole liturgy on its own. It is traditionally believed to have been composed by King David himself and used as a processional song to accompany the relocation of the Ark of the Covenant from the house of Obed-Edom to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6). Apart from calling the whole of Jerusalem to welcome the Ark of God, the psalm looks forward to a greater event in the future, where all of humanity will welcome a coming King of Glory. But who is that King? 

Interestingly and strangely, the psalmist ends the psalm on a reflective pause (selah) after questioning the identity of this King of glory and receiving the instant response that the Lord of Hosts is the said “King of Glory” that is coming. 

Immediately after this revelation, there was an iconic selah; a reflective pause. It is not a mean thing that the Lord of Hosts would stoop down to receive men and be received by them. This awesome news is deserving of a meditative pause by all mortals.

On this last Sunday of the Advent season, where all the prophecies about this great event are being recalled and proclaimed, we are called upon to pause and reflect on what it means for the Son of God, the King of Glory, the Lord of Hosts to tabernacle among us. 

PRAYER

Lord God, may we your people, who look forward to the birth of Christ, come to understand deeply what it means for the Lord of Hosts to pitch His tent among us. Amen.

May God bless you.

Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, December 18, 2022.

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.