For some few weeks now you must have seen many depictions of the Holy Family. Perhaps you saw Jesus, Mary and Joseph on Christmas cards, or perhaps in Crib scenes, or perhaps you were as lucky enough as l was to see them in action at a Nativity play here in Lake Havasu. Each depiction whilst telling the same essential story, conveys something slightly different, putting the accent on a different aspect of a story at times dangerously familiar. There’s variety, too, in the many beautiful paintings of the Holy Family, depicting in almost every conceivable geographic, climatic, racial, economic, and cultural setting. It is almost as if the Holy Family carry a kind of ‘everyman’ quality, as it were; standing outside of time.

The gospel account is about two pregnant women: Elizabeth and Mary. These were remarkable women. Remarkable in the sense that under ordinary circumstances they would not have been pregnant. One was a virgin; the other was beyond, way beyond childbearing. These two great women understood the miracle of conception and birth. To add to the unexplainable mystery, they both bore within their wombs mysterious babies. One bore the Christ, God's only begotten Son; the other bore John the Baptist. Both of them were full of joy for themselves and for each other despite their age differences. Indeed God was at work within them!

In the church’s Latin days, the third Sunday of Advent is always called "Gaudete Sunday”, and its message is comfort and joy (gaudete means rejoice). We are urged not to worry, for the Lord is near. Yes, don't worry be happy! With St. Paul, “There is no need to worry; but if there is anything you need, pray for it, asking God for it with prayer and thanksgiving”. We need not wait until after God has granted our requests before saying thanks. Even as we ask, we should already be grateful.

Advent is a hopeful season. Hope is such an important Christian virtue, something deeper than simple optimism of temperament. We can feel cheerfully optimistic about all kinds of things, but, strictly speaking, the true object of hope is union with God. We are hopeful because we believe in a God who can bring life out of death, light out of darkness. It is above all in dark times that we need hope. And we pray for hope and help for those going through dark days at the present time, for people insecure in their jobs or their health or their home life, and even more for those who have been displaced as refugees.

Today we begin a new liturgical year. Jesus said to us 27 times in the Gospel, “Follow me!” and each liturgical year we do just that, tracing his footsteps along the route of salvation history, trying to become more and more like him whom we’re following. The New Liturgical year also begins with ADVENT, a special time of waiting and hoping, of renewing our trust in God’s merciful love and care, and of reflecting on the several comings (advents), of Christ into our lives. Besides his first coming at his birth, we are asked to reflect on Christ’s coming as the risen Lord at Easter, in the Sacraments (especially the Eucharist), in our everyday lives, at the moment of death, and at the end of human history (the second coming).

The Lamb who was slain is worthy to receive strength and divinity, wisdom and power and honour: to him be glory and power forever and ever! Indeed Christ is the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega, “Who was, who is and who is to come”. We began the liturgical year with Him and today we solemnly end it with this special Feast of Him as the Universal King of kings and Lord of lords, and next Sunday we begin a new one with the first Sunday of Advent.

As we already know, the return of Jesus Christ is to be the most phenomenal event in all human history. It will be the most amazing and spectacular event ever to be witnessed by the eyes of man. Its importance cannot be overstressed, for when Christ returns, both the blessings and the judgment of God will fall upon the earth. Genuine believers will be blessed and unbelievers will suffer the wrath of God. This is our faith and hope!

"In God We Trust", as we know is the official motto of the United States of America. It was adopted as the nation's motto in 1956 as a replacement or alternative to the unofficial motto of E pluribus unum pluribus, which was adopted when the Great Seal of the United States was created and adopted in 1782. History records that it was Reverend Mark R. Watkinson of 'Ridleyville', Pennsylvania, (pastor of Prospect Hill Baptist Church in present-day Prospect Park, Pennsylvania) in a letter dated November 13, 1861, that first petitioned the Treasury Department to add a statement recognizing "Almighty God in some form on our coins" in order to "relieve us from the ignominy of heathenism".

In the first reading from Deuteronomy, the opening word, “Shema”, means “listen”; it also has the sense of “obey”. It's a Jewish prayer, the SHEMA. This prayer is a daily reminder not only of the covenant obligations but also of the privilege from which those obligations flow. As people of God, it's a call each day to listen and obey.

The Pontifical Biblical Commission in its 1993 document, The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church, picked up this motif, describing the local Christian community as one “which knows that it is addressed by God (cf. John 6:45), a community that listens eagerly to the Word with faith, love and docility".

Consider how the Israelites would have welcomed the good news of their liberation from exile when it was first announced by the Prophet Jeremiah. Imagine the relief, the joy and total transformation such new development would have brought to them. Can we ever imagine how overjoyed and satisfied Bartimaeus felt when he eventually heard the words: "Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.” He has struggled desperately to get the attention of Jesus to no avail. At the verge of giving up, suddenly, hope is restored to him. He will see again!

In recent weeks, the double theme of discipleship and the necessary reality of suffering for the Gospel has appeared regularly. Today’s scripture readings address this mysterious necessity yet again. We all know that preaching the truth and sacrificing our reputation can often be seen as bad. So can suffering – we don’t like to see it, or feel it, or talk about it. In fact, there are a lot of Christians out there who love the cross, but hate the crucifix because it seems too brutal. None of us want to suffer, but yet there is something redemptive, something heroic, about suffering. And it teaches us about the heart of Christ.

I think today’s readings pose a serious challenge for those of us who do go to church. I mean we who have responded positively to follow Jesus Christ the Lord. Like the man in the Gospel who has fulfilled every letter of the law, and wants to know what he needs to do to get everlasting life, we too are challenged to know what we need to put in order more than just showing up at church every Sunday.

I am very much aware that the modern society is very tolerant of divorce and remarriage, however, the first reading and the gospel of today invite us to reflect on the ideal of PERMANENCE IN MARRIAGE and on the value of lifelong commitment. Jesus' words on the indissolubility of marriage, especially set this ideal for all Christian couples. And we ask: Does this ideal of lifelong fidelity to one person seem impracticable for our times? Can a couple be expected to stay together for possibly 50 years and above?