The theme for the fourth week of Advent, and the greatest of all the theological virtues, is love. Love unites us with God and with one another, and it gives direction and meaning to our lives. As we seek to understand love more deeply, we can look to the story of the birth of Jesus for powerful examples.
God did not create us because He needed us, nor because He was bored or lonely. He created us out of a desire to share His love with us. When humanity brought death into the world through sin, God could have abandoned us. Instead, He chose redemption. For God so loved the world, He sent His only Son, not as a conquering king, but as a humble redeemer.
Eve once said, “My will be done,” but Mary said, “Thy will be done.” Rather than pursuing her own plans, Mary entrusted her body and her life entirely to God. She proclaimed her love in the Magnificat when she said, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” She did not seek worldly pleasure, but found her joy in God alone. This invites us to ask whether we are driven by our own desires or whether we seek to please God.
When Joseph learned that Mary was pregnant, he chose love and compassion. Even though they were only betrothed, betrothal at that time carried legal weight and required a formal divorce to end. Joseph was willing to accept public shame to protect Mary from disgrace and punishment. His love placed her well-being above his own reputation. When the angel assured him of God’s plan, Joseph obeyed and took Mary into his home as his wife. His example challenges us to reflect on how often we show selfless love and whether we remain obedient to God even when being obedient is difficult.
The Magi also reveal the power of love. They traveled a great distance to seek Jesus and offer Him gifts. Although they expected to find a king, they encountered a humble child. Their meeting with the Holy Family changed them, and they returned home by a different route. A journey toward Jesus always transforms us and leads us closer to the Father. We are called to walk towards Him and allow Christ to change our hearts.
Christ commands us to love as He loves. He teaches that the greatest commandments are to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. He even calls us to love our enemies. God has shown us immense love by creating us and by redeeming us through Jesus. Our task is to return that love to Him and to others. This work may take a lifetime, but as our love for God deepens, we grow closer to understanding true love and true joy.
