December 24, 2023: ”Bearers of God’s Promise” with Karen Sue Smith

Preaching for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Karen Sue Smith offers a reflection on our role - inspired by Mary - as bearers of God's promise: "We believe that the promise/fulfillment process continues. God lives among us and within us here and now. Like Mary, we are called to be God-bearers, to make God’s compassion and justice real and present in our world. How? Answering that question requires discernment, as we discover what gifts God has given us and how best to use them. But all the basics--in the Sermon on the Mount or from Jesus’ own works of mercy, justice, and community-building – are clear enough. We need to consent and persist…." Karen Sue Smith is a retired writer and editor with nearly 30 years of experience working in the Catholic press. She served in full time capacities as editorial director at America Magazine; editor of CHURCH Magazine from National Pastoral Life Center; and associate editor at Commonweal Magazine. She earned her Master of Divinity at Harvard University and a Master of Arts in Theology at the University of Notre Dame. Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/12242023 to learn more about Karen Sue, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Catholic women.