Word to the Wise
Saturday, December 24, 2016 - Dec. 24 (morning Mass)
[2 Sam 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 and Luke 1:67-79]"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for he has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty Savior, born of the house of his servant David." [Luke]
On the day before Christmas, the scriptures keep the "big picture" in front of us by proclaiming the "Canticle of Zechariah." [Last Thursday, we had the "Magnificat - the canticle of Mary."] This canticle is also known as the "Benedictus" and is recited every morning at Morning Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours. What is the bigger picture? We find it in the reference to the house of David. The first scripture today from the second book of Samuel contains a prophecy that the house of David would endure forever. Joseph is pictured in the gospels of Matthew and Luke as being of the house of David. All of this allows for a vast sweep of history in which the plan of God is being acted out. The first lines of the gospel scripture at Midnight Mass in the familiar story of the journey to Bethlehem, the city of David, again echo the bigger picture even as our attention is focused on the wonder of the Incarnation, the birth of Jesus.
The liturgical "seasons" are meant to be a way of telling over and over again the story of God's plan of salvation, more particularly the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Advent, we begin with conception in Mary. At Christmas and Epiphany we celebrate Jesus' birth. In Lent we celebrate his journey toward Jerusalem and his suffering At Easter we celebrate his resurrection and at Pentecost, his sending of the Holy Spirit to be with us and guide us. "Ordinary Time" takes us to the teachings and actions of Jesus' ministry while he lived among us. (The Gospel of John at Mass During the Day will remind us of the broad significance of Christmas Day: "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.") As we pause before the manger scene and admire the new born baby, we may also remember that he fulfills old hopes and creates new ones. AMEN
config
view
logs
3840.0 KB
101 ms
4
