Fourth Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 7.10-16 Romans 1.1-7 Matthew 1: 18 - end

Many years ago I went on an outing to The Netherlands. One of the treats was a visit to the Reichs Museum. At that time I was not really interested in art. Portraits all looked the same and landscapes just pictures of fields and trees. Art had little meaning to me.

We were met at the door by our guide. His opening words were that ‘after this visit you will never look at art in the same way again’. He then proceeded to lead us through, gallery after gallery, explaining what the pictures were telling, the story behind their composition, and what we could learn from them. He was right in what he said. I now look at art in totally new ways. My eyes have been opened.

From flags on ships flying in the wrong direction to people in paintings who could not have been there, and from bowls of exotic fruit on tables in early houses to salmon on the plates of the poorest of people. I could go on. Sufficient to say that I was taught how to look at art.

We are now just days away from celebrating the birth of Jesus. What was being expected of him? Prophets had claimed that someone special was to arrive. Circumstances and signs were just right and pointed to Jesus as the one expected. In this child much was being anticipated.

The birth of Jesus was the work of the Holy Spirit. “Mary was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit”. In the birth of Jesus the Holy Spirit of God was very much at work. The Holy Spirit had been very much at work up to now. It was the Holy Spirit which brought God’s truth to us, who taught the prophets what to say, who told them what to do. Who told Joseph about the coming birth.

With the birth of Jesus our eyes are opened as to what God is like. We see in him what we ought to be like. Before Jesus we only had vague ideas and they were often wrong. They were the product of our best guesses. Now our eyes were to be opened. As Jesus grew we could see in him love being poured out to many, compassion to the poor and needy, to those who were exiled. We could see mercy and the purity of God. In Jesus truth was being given to us. Obedience to the will of God. We learnt the truth of God.

Coming to welcome the birth of Jesus. Being with him side by side as he grew. Learning from what he taught. These are the museum moments that I experienced. They are the same moments that we all can experience. Walking through the galleries is likened to walking through our life. At times we encounter different circumstances. When those events are explained to us our understanding grows. We are better prepared as we move through life.

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus and as we are making way to allow him into our hearts, these will enable us to see things as they truly are. As the guide at the museum explained the hidden depths of the paintings, Jesus will reveal to us the hidden depths of God. Life is quite different when Jesus teaches us how to look at things. When Jesus comes into our hearts, he opens our eyes to see things truly.

Collect for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

God our redeemer,

who prepared the Blessed Virgin Mary

to be the mother of your Son:

grant that, as she looked for his coming as our saviour,

so we may be ready to greet him

when he comes again as our judge;

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.