December 22: O Little Town of Bethlehem

Fourth Sunday of Advent

There is a Christmas song that says of Bethlehem: “Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light.” Bethlehem is a suburb of Jerusalem. Its main tourist attraction in the time of Jesus was that it was the birthplace of David. Though today it has many modern homes and buildings, you can still see that it is part of “the hill country…of Judah.” (Lk 1:39) It is not too far from En Kerem, where John the Baptist was born, and apparently where today’s Gospel takes place.

We see in the Gospel reading today how Elizabeth and her unborn child rejoiced at the news of Jesus’ coming birth. The story implies that Mary went to see Elizabeth as soon as the angel told her about Jesus. Maybe it was easier to tell her cousin, who was also with child, than her fiancé. I would think that talking about it made this miracle more real. I know that talking about my faith makes it more real to me.

Jesus is the “everlasting Light” mentioned in the song. That light shines today, not just in Bethlehem, but everywhere that his followers bring it. When we console someone who is mourning, that light shines. When we offer to help someone in need, it shines brighter. When we forgive someone who hurt us, the light is burning. When we offer to sponsor a candidate in the RCIA, the light grows. When we teach a child how to pray, it shines even brighter.
Our dark streets need the everlasting Light today as much as they did 2000 years ago. Today we remember how Mary and Elizabeth shared their faith in God. They did so much like we do today. Mary could not see her unborn son yet, but helped Elizabeth to believe by her words. Jesus, who seems to be invisible today, is seen in the shared faith of those who bring him into the world by their words and actions.

Tom Schmidt