Homily: December 23 - Remedy for the world's ills

Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24 View Readings

Psalm 25:4-5, 8-10, 14

Luke 1:57-66

Two days before Christmas, the Church reads to us from the prophet Malachi.  Malachi was the last of the Old Testament Prophets, appearing on the scene 300 years after the prophet Isaiah, but still about 400 years before the birth of Christ.  His name means “my messenger” or “messenger of God” and his book prophesies the coming of another messenger, “my messenger to prepare the way for me”.  We know that this “messenger” was John the Baptist, who was born to prepare the way for Christ. 

The whole Old Testament has been like an arrow, pointing to the center of the target, the center of all things, Christ, and Malachi is the tip of the arrow.  Yet the arrow is followed by Malachi’s prophecy is followed by four hundred years of silence from God, a true Advent, a period of quiet and waiting.  The silence was broken by John the Baptist’s voice, the voice of one crying out in the wilderness.  Jesus called John the greatest of the prophets, whose birth and dedication we hear proclaimed in today’s Gospel.

The four hundred year silence reminds us that the Lord comes in silence; his first coming was humble and generally unrecognized by most of the world. 

Our culture doesn’t understand silence, and consequently misunderstands the meaning of Christmas.  That we are to quiet down our lives in order to make room for Him. 

Have you quieted yourself down to hear his voice this Advent?  Have you prepared a place in your heart for Him?

Christians do not dread silence, we welcome it; for God comes in silence.  Somehow, despite all of our culture’s attempts, the most popular Christmas carol is still “Silent Night”, written by a young Catholic priest.

For Zechariah, a period of silence preceded the birth of his son John, literally, he was struck mute.  Zechariah failed to trust in God when God revealed His plan to him.  So, nine months of silence helped him prepare for fatherhood, and helped him to be spiritually purified of his mistrust of God.

The Catholic Philosopher Svoren Kierkegaard said If he were a doctor he would prescribe as a remedy for all the world’s disorders, “silence”.  Oh, if but the world would learn to become silent in order to be purified of its mistrust of God!

Psalm 46 commands, “be still, and know that I am God.”  “Be still”.  It is not too late to enter into the silence, that we may be attentive and watchful for Christ’s coming for the glory of God and salvation of souls.