Seeking witness to God's presence

December 18, 2005 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent

By Bishop Robert Morneau

	Bishop Robert Morneau
	Questions for reflection: 1. What are the two things that are essence to love? 2. In what way is Mary the model for Christians? 3. What Advent practices draw you closer to the Lord?

One of the great theologians of the past century was Fr. Karl Rahner, S.J. (1904-1984). He was influential in shaping a number of the Second Vatican Council documents, having been called to that Council by Pope John XXIII. One of Rahner's students, Fr. James Bacik, offers this reflection that is quite appropriate for this Advent season.

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"In his theology, Rahner emphasizes that divine grace seeks visibility and a full human response. The inner word of universal revelation strains toward an outer world which makes it concrete and particular. God's self-communication, which has created the world and divinized human beings, strives for full expression in history. Christians claim that divine self-giving and human receptivity have met completely, definitively and irrevocably, in Jesus of Nazareth" (James J. Bacik's Contemporary Theologians - Chicago: Thomas More Press, 1989, 24).

The Gospel account of the Annunciation describes how grace became visible in Mary's full human response. Though afraid and not knowing, Mary embraced God's will and all of history has been changed. In the birth of Jesus, in this concrete and particular moment of history, God's self-communication took on visibility. Again we witness here that twin dynamic of giving and receptivity - the offer and the acceptance. Because of her obedience and love, Mary was indeed full of grace.

King David, in our first reading, is another witness of a human response to God's presence in history. David is concerned about giving visibility to the mystery of God. Uneasy about living in a palace while God's dwelling is in a tent, King David was thinking about correcting this situation. But God intervenes through his prophet Nathan. God is concerned, not with buildings, but with people and forming a community that will endure forever. For historians and secular philosophers, such particularity is hard to buy. But revelation and the mystery of God's self-giving will always be incarnational, located in a specific time and place.

St. Paul was convinced that Jesus of Nazareth "completely, definitively and irrevocably" is the presence of God in history. Paul's ministry was one of proclaiming the Gospel, that in Jesus the mystery hidden for many ages has now been revealed. Paul's special audience was the Gentiles. To them he introduced the person of Jesus as the full revelation of God's self-giving.

In our responsorial Psalm (Psalm 89) we read: "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, / I have sworn to David my servant: / Forever will I confirm your posterity / and establish your throne for all generations." David was chosen as was Mary and Paul to be bearers of God's grace. We too, through baptism and Eucharist, are chosen to receive God's love and mercy, in concrete ways and in particular situations.

Another passage from Fr. Bacik regarding Rahner's theology: "Love, which involves mutual giving and receiving, draws us out of our selfishness and into life-giving relationships" (21). Advent is a special opportunity to once again participate in the mystery of God's gracious love. Like Mary, David and Paul, our task is one of responding as fully as possible to God's breaking into our lives. When that response is there, we will then know the peace and joy that the world cannot give.

(Bp. Morneau is the auxiliary bishop of the Green Bay Diocese and pastor of Resurrection Parish in Allouez.)