Word to the Wise
Thursday, December 20, 2007 - Thursday of the Third Week of Advent
[Isaiah 7:10-14 and Luke 1:26-38]Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.
The Gospel of Matthew revealed to us a couple of days ago that "Emmanuel" means "God is with us." The Gospel of Luke gives us a twofold identity of Jesus: Son of David and Son of God! His identity as Son of David is historical. His identity as Son of God is eternal. He is born humanly in time. Yet he existed before the world was created. The same Spirit that "overshadowed the waters" at the beginning of creation brings about his creation in Mary, the favored one! These momentous realities hinge on the willing consent of a young woman who finds herself the surprised choice of God. The conception of Jesus is not, as in the case of John the Baptist, an answer to the prayers of a couple who could not conceive! Mary has been a faithful person but now she is to become a disciple! She is the model disciple in seeking to do whatever God wills. She also becomes the model for any of us who find ourselves part of a faith reality far greater than we might have imagined for ourselves. While the call of God may not be as dramatic for us as it was for Mary, it can be no less life-altering! God tells Moses at the Burning Bush, when Moses protests his inability, "I will be with you!" Gabriel tells Mary not to be afraid, "the Lord is with you." The birth of Jesus is not simply a historical fact. It has an existential impact in the present. We must remember in our joy what will come later on for this child. He was with us in Isaiah's prophecy. He was with us in his birth and death. He is with us always, till the end of time and beyond. He is Emmanuel - God is with us. AMEN
config
view
logs
3840.0 KB
71 ms
4
