The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary on the Fourth Sunday of Advent prepare us to appreciate how contemplation of the events preceding the Incarnation open our being to the reality of God with us.
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| Four weeks of anticipation |
The Prophet Isaiah gives Ahaz the sign of Immanuel (Emmanuel).
* [7:14] Isaiah’s sign seeks to reassure Ahaz that he need not fear the invading armies of Syria and Israel in the light of God’s promise to David (2 Sm 7:12–16). The oracle follows a traditional announcement formula by which the birth and sometimes naming of a child is promised to particular individuals (Gn 16:11; Jgs 13:3). The young woman: Hebrew ‘almah designates a young woman of marriageable age without specific reference to virginity. The Septuagint translated the Hebrew term as parthenos, which normally does mean virgin, and this translation underlies Mt 1:23. Emmanuel: the name means “with us is God.” Since for the Christian the incarnation is the ultimate expression of God’s willingness to “be with us,” it is understandable that this text was interpreted to refer to the birth of Christ.1
Psalm 24 apparently accompanied a ceremony of the entry of God, followed by the people, into the Temple.
* [Psalm 24] The Psalm apparently accompanied a ceremony of the entry of God (invisibly enthroned upon the ark), followed by the people, into the Temple. The Temple commemorated the creation of the world (Ps 24:1–2). The people had to affirm their fidelity before being admitted into the sanctuary (Ps 24:3–6; cf. Ps 15). A choir identifies the approaching God and invites the very Temple gates to bow down in obeisance (Ps 24:7–10).2
The reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans is a salutation of grace and peace.
* [1:1–7] In Paul’s letters the greeting or praescriptio follows a standard form, though with variations. It is based upon the common Greco-Roman epistolary practice, but with the addition of Semitic and specifically Christian elements. The three basic components are: name of sender; name of addressee; greeting. In identifying himself, Paul often adds phrases to describe his apostolic mission; this element is more developed in Romans than in any other letter. Elsewhere he associates co-workers with himself in the greeting: Sosthenes (1 Corinthians), Timothy (2 Corinthians; Philippians; Philemon) Silvanus (1 Thessalonians—2 Thessalonians). The standard secular greeting was the infinitive chairein, “greetings.” Paul uses instead the similar-sounding charis, “grace,” together with the Semitic greeting šālôm (Greek eirēnē), “peace.” These gifts, foreshadowed in God’s dealings with Israel (see Nm 6:24–26), have been poured out abundantly in Christ, and Paul wishes them to his readers. In Romans the Pauline praescriptio is expanded and expressed in a formal tone; it emphasizes Paul’s office as apostle to the Gentiles. Rom 1:3–4 stress the gospel or kerygma, Rom 1:2 the fulfillment of God’s promise, and Rom 1:1, 5 Paul’s office. On his call, see Gal 1:15–16; 1 Cor 9:1; 15:8–10; Acts 9:1–22; 22:3–16; 26:4–18.3
Joseph responds to news of the birth of Jesus the Messiah in the Gospel from Matthew.
* [1:18–25] This first story of the infancy narrative spells out what is summarily indicated in Mt 1:16. The virginal conception of Jesus is the work of the Spirit of God. Joseph’s decision to divorce Mary is overcome by the heavenly command that he take her into his home and accept the child as his own. The natural genealogical line is broken but the promises to David are fulfilled; through Joseph’s adoption the child belongs to the family of David. Matthew sees the virginal conception as the fulfillment of Is 7:14.4
Edward Morse comments that during this Advent season, we find ourselves journeying into God and the mysteries of the Incarnation.
We are called to the obedience of faith. This usually requires choices to be made without a complete understanding of their significance in the unfolding plan of God. Not many of us get an angelic message to guide or confirm our choices. Instead, we must rely on daily encounters with God that come through the scriptures, the sacraments, and prayer. By listening and discerning – often in silence and stillness -- we are given the privilege of participating in the life of God to which we are called, overcoming our fears through love that grows to displace them. Like other forms of incremental change, we may not recognize it until time has passed, but when we do, it gives us hope. “Let the Lord enter; he is the king of Glory.” Thanks be to God.5
While the stories may seem familiar as we encounter them each year, may we draw new life from these ancient texts, which continue to bear seeds of faith and hope for us.
Don Schwager quotes “The righteous branch of David is Christ,” by Leo the Great, 400-461 A.D.
"There was only one remedy in the secret of the divine plan that could help the fallen living in the general ruin of the entire human race (Jeremiah 23:5-8). This remedy was that one of the sons of Adam should be born free and innocent of original transgression, to prevail for the rest by his example and by his merits. This was not permitted by natural generation. There could be no clean offspring from our faulty stock by this seed. The Scripture says, 'Who can make a clean thing conceived of an unclean seed? Isn't it you alone?' (Job 14:4) David's Lord was made David's Son, and from the fruit of the promised branch sprang. He is one without fault, the twofold nature coming together into one person. By this one and the same conception and birth sprung our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom was present both true Godhead for the performance of mighty works and true manhood for the endurance of sufferings." (excerpt from Sermon 28.3)6
The Word Among Us Meditation on Isaiah 7:10-14 notes Ahaz refused. He didn’t want to risk God’s wrath by seeming to dare God to prove himself. Besides, he thought, God could not possibly be so good as to rescue him—especially not after all the ways Ahaz had disobeyed him in the past.
Like Ahaz, we too can fear that we have to deal with the challenges of life all on our own. But God is always giving us signs of his presence and his help. Some are subtle, like a beautiful sunrise, and others are more obvious, like the faithfulness of a friend. And then there’s the dramatic sign that Isaiah gave Ahaz: “The virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
Emmanuel. God-with-us. A living, breathing sign of God’s love and protection. A personal, undeniable sign of God’s commitment to his people. A promise that he has seen our need and is ready to help if we turn to him.7
Friar Jude Winkler sets the prophecy to Ahaz by Isaiah during an inspection of the water works of Jerusalem as the prophet plans to name his next child Immanuel as a sign to the King. Paul offers grace and peace to the community of Rome as he declares the kerygma. Friar Jude notes how the definition of righteousness is redefined by Matthew as the deeply compassionate response of Joseph to the pregnancy of Mary.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, asserts that Incarnation, the synthesis of matter and spirit, should be the primary and compelling message of Christianity.
God, who is Infinite Love, incarnates that love as the universe itself. This begins with the “Big Bang” nearly 13.8 billion years ago, which means our human notions of time are largely useless (see 2 Peter 3:8). Then, a mere 2,000 years ago, as Christians believe, God incarnated in personal form as Jesus of Nazareth. Matter and spirit have always been one, of course, ever since God decided to manifest God’s self in the first act of creation (Genesis 1:1-31), but it seems we could only meet this presence in personal form after much longing and desiring. Most indigenous religions also recognized the sacred and even personal nature of all reality, as did my father St. Francis of Assisi (1182–1226) who spoke of “Brother Sun and Sister Moon.” Incarnation was always hidden right beneath the surface of things.
Jesus came to reveal the dualism of the spiritual and so-called secular as untrue and incomplete. By his very existence, Jesus modeled for us that these two seemingly different worlds are and always have been one. We just couldn’t imagine it intellectually until God put them together in one body that we could see and touch and love (see Ephesians 2:11-20). In Christ “you also are being built into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22). What an amazing realization that should shock and delight us!8
Observing the signs in the people and events of the season is evidence to us of Incarnation.
References
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