Walking with Jesus: Fourth Sunday of Advent B

2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12, 14; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38

Do I regard Christmas as a time of celebration or a time of seeking peace, God’s peace? Do I look at Christmas as a time of joy or a time of sorrow? Do I look at Christmas pointing to the child in the crib or the humiliated, scourged man on the cross? Will my activities these last days be total busyness or leave time for reflection? Am I concerned with who is coming … what I will receive … whether I will be safe from COVID-19 ... or something else “non-Christmas?” Do I care about Christmas this year since it is going to be totally different? What is my main concern this Christmas?

The readings challenge us to be followers of Christ, the Light of the World. The key phrase seems to come from the Angel Gabriel to Mary: “… for nothing will be impossible for God.” [Luke 1: 37]

God calls each person to a job … calls me, you and everyone to a mission. The readings point out that He has called from King David, from Mary, and from each one of us. His calling has continued from the time of Abraham, Noah, Moses, the prophets ... down to you and me: We are called … and we are free to say yes or no to God. Have I ever thought of Christmas in this light? The Christmas story is so beautiful and tragic … who do I identify with? The shepherds, the magi, the innkeepers, the surrounding neighbors, the authorities, the Romans, the people making money from the tourists ... or the family of Mary, Joseph and Jesus?

The author of Samuel points out that David now has a secure kingdom and is comfortable in his palace but he wants to make amends for blood shed and all his unfaithfulness to God. Why should he live in all this comfort while God is in the Ark of the Covenant, located in a mere tent? Can’t he do a favor for God to make up for his indiscretions? He wants to make amends and start over, yet only three chapters later he is totally attracted to the married woman Bathsheba, conceives a child and then has her husband killed. Nathan the prophet goes to David and tells him that even as a king, he remains God’s servant. All that David has received is a gift from God who has elevated him from humble shepherd origins to serve as shepherd of God’s people. Who should be the thankful one? It’s a question for me … look at all God has done to and for me … am I grateful or should I expect this from God? All that happened to David and all that has happened to me shows God’s glory, certainly not mine.

Paul ends his wonderful letter to the Romans with a tribute to God … one of continuing gratitude for the privilege of preaching His saving message. Throughout his letter Paul has announced and proclaimed “his” gospel which is Jesus Christ as our Lord and God. Christ has revealed the mystery of God that has been kept secret for all ages: the promises made to Israel long ago and made available to all peoples — Jesus the Messiah is God sent to show and prove God’s love and be crucified for our redemption. Am I grateful for this? What does this mean to me and for me?

Luke proclaims the coming of Jesus the Messiah and Son of the Most High God. Look how God completes His Plan: He sends an angel ... not any angel, but Gabriel … not just to any town, but to Nazareth … not just to any young girl or virgin, but to Mary who is betrothed … not to any man, but to Joseph who is of the house of David. The message is clear: God just doesn’t wave His magic wand and everything happens at once. God has specific plans which happen to people He has chosen. Often the people have no idea what is to happen, but somehow they realize that God helps them all the way because they are needed and have been chosen in their inadequacies and clumsiness which make no difference. This is God’s plan … God is in total control. God has used and continues to use each of us in our weaknesses. He makes a partnership with us by giving us gifts … He gives His help, grace … so that people can see that God loves them and needs them … you and me … to be His witnesses to His world in need of loving by loving.

So I reflect on:

• If you’d never heard of Jesus, how would you be living right now?
• Is there someone you feel like giving up on? Circumstances that cause you to feel despair? If nothing is impossible to God, am I missing a message God is sending me?
• When the Spirit has done the unexpected in my life … did that make any difference?
  

Sacred Space 2021 states:

“Theologians constructed a theory of original sin, and another theory to explain how Mary was exempt from the curse of Adam: the Immaculate Conception. In prayer I’d rather remember the old Irish poem:

Queen of all queens, oh wonder of the loveliness of women
Heart which hath held in check for us the righteous wrath of God;
Strong staff of light and fosterer of the Bright Child of Heaven
Pray thou for us as we now pray that we may be forgiven.

“Repeating a phrase in prayer may make it go deep within us. It’s like a favorite pierce of music that we can hum over and over again. It is part of us. ‘I am the servant of the Lord’ was such a phrase for Mary, spoken first at one of the biggest moments in her life. In dry times of prayer, a sentence like that can occupy mind and heart and raise us close to God.”