Word to the Wise
Saturday, December 19, 2020 - December 19
[Judg 13:2-7, 24-25a and Luke 1:5-25]There was a certain man from Zorah, of the clan of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. His wife was barren and had borne no children. An angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, "Though you are barren and have had no children, yet you will conceive and bear a son." [Judges] Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John." [Luke]
The days just before the celebration of the Nativity feature scriptures that offer a view of various aspects of the story. Today we have two "annunciations" that focus on the providence of God that reaches into the most profound human experiences, in this case, that of conception and birth. Barrenness in the Bible was regarded as a curse. The stories of Sarah, mother of Isaac [Genesis 17:15-21]. Hannah, mother of Samuel [1 Sam. 1] and, today, the mother (not named) of Samson all seem to have served as models for the evangelist Luke in telling the stories of the annunciations to Mary and Elizabeth, and in Matthew, the annunciation to Joseph. God's providence is part of God's plan of salvation and is manifested in the human process of conception and birth.
Our response to the nativity scene may, at times, resemble our response on a visit to any hospital nursery! There are different feelings, based on the relationship to the infant! But each child represents the combined stories (both personal and genetic) of all his/her ancestors. There is a very rich tapestry of biblical history and theology, that hangs, as it were, behind the scene if we are willing to look for it. I recommend Fr. Raymond Brown's AN ADULT CHRIST AT CHRISTMAS for a very readable access to this background. (For an even deeper exploration, his THE BIRTH OF THE MESSIAH -a big book - is richly rewarding for the determined reader.) There is more to Baby Jesus than meets the eye at first! AMEN