By the Fourth Sunday of Advent, everything feels close.
The candles are nearly all lit.
The Nativity scenes are set.
The waiting has narrowed to just a few days.
Advent has never been about distant hope. It is about nearness. And on this final Sunday before Christmas, the Church invites us to stand at the very edge of the mystery: God is about to enter the world—not in power or noise, but in silence, humility, and trust.
A Promise That Moves
The Gospel for the Fourth Sunday of Advent often centers on Mary—her “yes,” her faith, her willingness to carry Christ into the world. What is striking is not only that God chose Mary, but that Mary immediately moves. She goes in haste to visit Elizabeth. She does not keep Christ to herself.
Advent reaches its fulfillment not when we are perfectly prepared, but when Christ is carried outward—into homes, relationships, and ordinary moments.
Mary shows us that true readiness is not about control. It is about surrender.
God Enters the Ordinary
There is nothing glamorous about Bethlehem. There is no royal procession, no trumpet blast, no earthly throne. God comes through a family on the move, a young woman facing uncertainty, a man learning to trust without full understanding.
This is important for us to remember.
God does not wait for perfect conditions.
He does not require flawless faith.
He does not demand that our lives be fully ordered.
He comes as we are.
The Fourth Sunday of Advent reminds us that God’s greatest work often happens quietly, beneath the surface, before anyone else notices.
Waiting That Changes Us
Advent waiting is not passive. It shapes us.
As Christmas approaches, the temptation is to rush—to finish, to complete, to check every box. But the Church slows us down at the very moment we want to speed up. One more candle. One more Sunday. One more invitation to trust.
This final waiting teaches us something essential: God acts on His time, not ours. And His timing is always rooted in love.
Preparing the Heart, Not Just the Home
The Fourth Sunday of Advent gently shifts our focus. The question is no longer, “Are we ready for Christmas?” but rather, “Are we making room for Christ?”
Room for Him:
- in strained relationships
- in tired hearts
- in places we would rather keep closed
Christ does not come only to well-decorated homes. He comes to hearts that are open, even if they are imperfect.
Standing at the Threshold
Advent ends where Christmas begins—with wonder.
On this Fourth Sunday, we stand at the threshold of the Incarnation. The long promise is about to be fulfilled. God is about to dwell among us.
Like Mary, we are invited to trust.
Like Joseph, we are invited to obey.
Like the world itself, we are invited to receive.
Christ is near—closer than we think.
And that is the great joy of Advent’s final day.
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