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Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 19, 2004
The Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.
Isaiah 7: 14
The Age of Loneliness
Loneliness is becoming one of the most prevalent features of modern life. Throughout the world vast numbers of people are leaving the countryside and moving to sprawling urban centers in search of a better life. But it is not like the village, where everyone knew your name, and you were accepted as part of the community. In the crowded conditions and relentless noise and bustle of the city, everyone is a stranger. In spite of the marvelous technologies that connect the modern world in what some would call a global village, increasing numbers of urban dwellers find themselves isolated and lonely.
Loneliness can take a devastating toll on the human psyche. Over time we begin to lose our sense of identity when we never hear our name spoken in recognition, and no one knows who we are. Our sense of self must be mediated through others to be coherent. We must see ourselves reflected through others to have a balanced view of who we are.
In the increasing isolation of modern life, it is more important than ever to know that one of God's names is Immanuel, which means God is with us. Of all the truths that God reveals to man, none is more comforting than to know that we are never alone, that God is always with us.
It is perhaps a hidden blessing of the isolation of modern life that the deep need we have to be known and accepted causes us to seek a connection with God in prayer. When no one else will talk to us, we turn to God as a last resort. Amid the crowding and noise around us, we withdraw into solitude and enter the quiet place where God is present. There we come to know him by the name Immanuel. And through prayerful communion we begin to see in a new way who we are. We see that we have been called by name from our very beginning, that we have been known and loved all along. We see that God who is Immanuel brought us into being for love, that he is always with us, and his love is without end.
O Antiphon
Come,
Flower of Jesse's stem,
Sign of God's love for all his people,
Save us without delay.
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