IC 2:6, 4^th Sunday of Advent B, December 22, 2002

If I begin today with an analogy from music, I hope you be indulgent. Its usefulness will soon be apparent–so bear with me, for just a moment.

I would like you to ponder some great human accomplishment: in my own mind, I am thinking of the creation of what we call an ‘immortal’ work of art: let’s say, the Ninth Symphony of Beethoven, or even, the all-too-popular “Beethoven’s Fifth”. These masterworks of musical art are played hundreds of times every year, in all places of the world, and, through recordings, even thousands of times a year. This is music that has changed, enhanced, and inspired men’s lives for some two hundred years. Now, here is what I want you to consider: the great aural and emotional power of the sounds of that monumental music, had their origination, their beginning, from a single individual man, in the privacy of his room, and from impulses that came forth from his own soul. From the solitude, from the inner depths of man’s most private sanctuary, came forth this greatness. It all began in utter simplicity and confidentiality. Now the application.

Whence comes the redemption of the human race? We know the answer well: from Calvary, on the Cross. That is indisputably true. The greatest deed that affected the life of every man, whether he comprehends or accepts it, or not, was the Lord’s saving Passion. But if one were to inquire: where did the first impulse for that stupendous work of art originate, one is led back to a modest home in Nazareth. Picture this scene: in heaven, God almighty summons his messenger Gabriel and pronounces the solemn utterance of eternal consequence for humanity for Gabriel to deliver. Saint Luke tells us, laconically, The Angel Gabriel was sent by God... Was sent! He was sent to earth, to this village, to this home. And now our imagination turns to a young woman. There she is, in the solitude of her room, in silence. And, in an instant, there are now two persons in that room. Gabriel takes a visible form for her to see, and he speaks words that her ear can comprehend–or better, he speaks God’s words to her–the very same message he received in the court of heaven, directly from the Almighty. And the Angel proposes God’s project to her. What will she say? How will she answer? This next moment can become the turning point of the history of the entire human race! An unknown young woman, in this insignificant town, in this humble little house! And then.... from the inner recesses of her own soul, from the depths of her heart comes the impulse, a moment and a movement that would change everything: “Let it be done to me!” And the Word became flesh.

As in the musical illustration, without a stirring in the soul of Beethoven there would never have been a Fifth Symphony, so in the work of redemption, without the word released from the heart and lips of Mary, there would be no redemption! We would yet be doomed: and heaven’s door slammed shut to us. All began with a single human person, and in the privacy and freedom of her own consent. (How great do you think our gratitude ought to be to the Mother of God for that? It’s enormous!) All great things have a similar origin: that first private impulse contains within it the essence of what will become a public work of great significance.

Now, I would like to make a second level of application. It has to do with you. Do you realize the immense consequence of the decisions, the impulses that come forth from your will? Whatever good you may accomplish, whatever mark you will have made in the world, whatever words you have said that have affected people’s lives, and whatever wicked deeds you did and the horrible consequences that ensued from them: all, all began from within the inner sanctuary of your own mind and your own soul. From the good tree comes the good fruit; from the bad tree, bad fruit.

Our passage from the Imitation of Christ for today would have us focus our attention on this source, the point of departure for all our deeds. Our Lord once said that evil designs all have their source in the soul. A good conscience is the source of joy, even in the midst of trouble, but an evil conscience is always fearful and uneasy. Happiness comes from doing what is right. From the store of goodness in a good man, from this comes forth good. It is not the estimation of others about your goodness, or of the significance of your accomplishments that matters. It is to live inwardly directed towards God that is the proper state of a spiritual man.

Who are you? What kind of a person are you? What impulses sprout from your heart? How do you respond to the world, and to others? How do you respond to the inspirations of God, from the guidance and counsel of your guardian angel? What do you do when sin is proposed to you? Are you ever on the ready to consent to it, or have you acquired the habit of denying evil to yourself?

Few have the great talent to create works of art of enduring significance and no one can match the accomplishments of the Virgin Mary. But from everyone there are those originating signals that are sent out from their souls that are the cause either of goodness, truth and beauty, or of sin, mendacity and hideousness.

In just a few short days we will be ‘merrying’ our Christmas. We will enjoy being a part of this worldwide celebrating. We should not forget however that Christmas has meaning for us because of Jesus: the model for our imitation. Let the goodness of our union with God shine out in our hearts. Let the good movements of souls in a state of grace produce an abundant yield of goodness. How carefully we should cultivate, even in the most secret places of our hearts, those first impulses, that they be of goodness and that we not give birth to evil desires. Let us follow Mary is being creators, artisans of beautiful works of art by nourishing upright consciences and in inciting a burning desire within us to please God in all things.