Fourth Sunday of Advent

Gospel for December 24, 2023

“The Annunciation” by Henry Ossawa Tanner [1898].

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Luke 1:26-38
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This passage is known as the Annunciation to Mary. This is the announcement that she would conceive the Son of God through the power of God.

Luke’s storytelling technique creates a sense of slowly building drama.  He begins first with the tale of Zechariah and Elizabeth.  This creates the impression that even the most humble characters in this Gospel are still of great value to God.

Elizabeth is already sixth months pregnant with John, the prophetic cousin of Jesus.

Mary is named only after this introduction, and her initial claim to distinction is simply that she is:

a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house.

But the Angel Gabriel’s visitation will change all that.  He greets Mary with great honor as though he is greeting a holy person.  She is highly favored and the Lord is with her.  Note that this is all anticipatory.  She doesn’t have a clue yet what is about to happen, and so she is troubled.  She is merely a country girl from a small town in Galilee about to marry a local carpenter.

What ensues is a fascinating dialogue between a being from heaven and a being from earth.

The angel seeks to reassure her that she need not fear.  This greeting, Don’t be afraid may have a two-fold purpose:

  • Encountering a heavenly being such as an angel is invariably described as a terrifying experience in the Scriptures.
  • And the angel is also seeking to calm Mary as she hears this life altering news.

However, the attempt to allay her fears doesn’t work! When Gabriel tells Mary that she will conceive a child who will be both the Son of the Most High and the heir of his ancestor David, her anxiety level seems to increase.

For one thing, this must be a surreal experience for her — encountering a supernatural being is not an everyday experience. For another, she is not naive.  She knows where babies come from and she knows that she is a virgin.

What is interesting is that when Zechariah is visited by the same angel and expresses doubt and asks questions, he is punished for his disbelief by being rendered mute until John’s birth.  But Mary asks:

How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?

Yet Gabriel seems to be gentle and patient with Mary.

Is the angel more gentle with Mary because he can read her heart?  Does the angel recognize that she is not asking the question out of a sense of skepticism, but sincere searching?  Or does the angel respect her role as the mother of the Son of God? Does the angel accommodate her youth? The Gospel writer doesn’t tell us.

In any event, Gabriel makes clear that the child to be born will be conceived through the power of God, when the Holy Spirit overshadows her.  The child will be called the Son of God.

Then the angel tells her about her kinswoman, Elizabeth, as if to confirm for Mary that God has not only the power to invest life in a virgin’s womb, but also in the barren womb of an old woman.  This appears to be intended as a sign for Mary, because the angel then declares:

For nothing spoken by God is impossible.

Mary’s fears seem to be calmed, and she declares:

 Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.

Mary surrenders her will to the will of God and becomes a key part of the Salvation History about to unfold.

APPLY:  

On the one hand, we may be able to identify with Mary. She is a young woman from an obscure town with no credentials to brag about. On the other hand, what happens to her is supernaturally unique.

This account gives us pause as Mary considers this shocking news.  The last thing on her mind is having a child.  Why, she’s not even married yet!

There is much to consider here.  First, the Angel Gabriel’s news carries a definite theological punch with it.  This child, who would be named Jesus, is to be:

 great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.

From a theological perspective, this tells us something very important about the nature of Jesus — he is both divine and human.  As the Nicene Creed puts it, Jesus is:

the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

But at the same time Jesus:

 was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man.

Jesus is fully God and fully man in order that he might be the bridge between God and humanity.

The second issue we wrestle with in this beautiful story is the virginity of Mary.  Some modern skeptics have scoffed at the virgin birth.  Some biblical scholars suggest that the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 has been misapplied to Mary:

 Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

These modern interpreters argue that the word for virgin in Hebrew, almah, simply means “young unmarried woman.”

Even if that is so, Luke (a physician who presumably knows something about babies) doesn’t appeal to Isaiah for proof of Mary’s virginity, Matthew does.  But both Gospel writers insist on her virginity.  She either is or she isn’t!  And if she isn’t, then the Gospels fail the test of truth.

So, since I believe in the Gospel record, what does it mean?  Primarily it underscores the point above, that Jesus is uniquely the Son of God.  That he has been conceived by the Holy Spirit.  But he is also the Son of Man through his human birth as the child of Mary.

Third, where this passage becomes accessible to us is in Mary’s complete and total surrender to this mission:

Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.

This is the essence of the ideal Biblical relationship with God, a paradigm followed from Abraham and Moses up to the fishermen by the Sea of Galilee.  It is certainly legitimate to ask questions, to wonder.  But ultimately the only acceptable response to God’s grace and favor is surrender.

RESPOND: 

Like Mary, and so many other biblical characters, when I encounter the Word of God, the first thing I do is ask questions.  Of course, I don’t usually encounter angels — most of my encounters are while reading the Bible, or in the situations of my daily life, and in moments of prayer and discernment.  But my response to the initiative of God in my life must be the same:

Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.

I must surrender completely to God, just as Mary does.

Our Lord, you come to each of us in different ways — a burning bush, an angel, a still, quiet voice.  But you invite us into an adventure with you that changes our lives and the lives of others.  And the only appropriate response is surrender to you.  Which means that we trust you with our very lives.  Amen.

PHOTOS:
The Annunciation” by Henry Ossawa Tanner is in the Public Domain.

Epistle for December 24, 2023

romans 16 27START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Romans 16:25-27
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM
Most versions of the Bible place Romans 14:24-26 at the end of Romans instead of at the end of chapter 14, and numbers these verses 16:25-27.  However, the World English Bible version (WEB) keeps these verses as chapter 14, verses 24-26. I use the WEB in my blog because it is in the Public Domain. So, if you click on the links above, it will take you to Romans 14:24-26 WEB.

OBSERVE:

This is the very lovely conclusion of the Epistle to the Romans.  It is a kind of benediction and hymn of praise to God. (Some ancient authorities place these verses at the end of Romans 14 as verses 24-26.  However, their placement at the conclusion of Paul’s letter seem more fitting to other ancient textual authorities.)

On the one hand this is a prayer of supplication for the church at Rome:

Now to him who is able to establish you…

Paul prays for the church to be kept in accordance with the Gospel he has laid out for them in the previous 16 chapters of the Letter to the Romans.

Paul makes it quite clear that the revelation of Jesus as the Christ (Messiah), though a mystery hidden in the past and now revealed, is nonetheless consistent with the witness of the Hebrew prophets.

His premise is that the inclusion of the Gentiles in the promises of God is part of the original plan.  It is not merely something that Paul has invented. As with the Jews, the Gentiles (translated here as nations) come to salvation in the same way:

according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret through long ages, but now is revealed, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known for obedience of faith to all the nations.

This has been a central theme in Romans:

  • That all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, both Jews and Gentiles.
  • That no one is saved by works of the law but through the righteousness that comes by faith in Christ.
  • And thus even Gentiles who believe are also children of Abraham by faith.

And he ends with a lovely ascription to God:

 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.

APPLY:  

Most of us who read these words from Paul are in the same boat as the Roman Christians.  We are most likely Gentiles.  We have no claim to be descendants of Abraham or Jacob by blood.  We have no rights or claims on God at all!

But the same prophets who spoke to the people of Israel have also guaranteed the promises of God to the “nations,” aka, the Gentiles. Us.

All of us come to salvation in the same way, whether we are Jews or Gentiles — by faith alone in Christ alone.

Note an important phrase in Paul’s letter:

…obedience of faith…

In other words, faith is not simply “easy believism” or a magic formula of believing a certain set of words.  Faith is grounded in an obedient relationship with God that results in a changed life, and has moral content.

Paul is no antinomian (one who believes that there is no validity to the law).  Rather, he understands that the law does not save us, Christ does.  And it is Christ who enables us through his grace to keep the law of love.  As he says in an epistle that lifts up many of the same themes found in Romans:

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love. (Galatians 5:6).

The good news for all of us is that this mystery has been revealed through the prophets, and now all who believe can experience the joy and glory that comes through faith in Christ.

RESPOND: 

I have access to the same salvation that the Gentiles in the early church did, as revealed in the same prophetic writings to which they had access.  I claim this gift of salvation through faith in Christ, and pray that I may have that:

obedience of faith.

Our Lord, you have unveiled your mysteries so that we might understand the great promises you have made for all who believe.  Establish me and my family and my church in accordance with your Gospel, and give us the obedience that comes through faith.  Amen.  

PHOTOS:
Romans 16 verse 27” uses this image: “Saint Paul Writing His Epistles,” attributed to Valentin de Boulogne, is in the Public Domain.

Psalter Reading for December 24, 2023

 

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“Visitation” by Franz Anton Maulbertsch (1724-1796)

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Luke 1:46b-55
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This passage is an excerpt from the famous passage known traditionally as The Magnificat.

Here is the context — Mary, upon being told by the Angel Gabriel that she will be the virgin mother of Jesus, is also told that her relative Elizabeth is expecting a child as well. So, like many expecting mothers who welcome fellowship with other moms-to-be, she travels from Nazareth to the hill country of Judea where Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah live (Luke 1:26-45).

The occasion for this poem of superlative beauty is the instant recognition by Elizabeth that the child within Mary is divine. Elizabeth says to Mary:

“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!  Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!  Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!” (Luke 1:42-45).

Mary’s response to Elizabeth’s inspired greeting is her song of praise to Almighty God.  The song seems to come from somewhere deep within her soul as she praises God for what he has done for her and for all people through her.

Mary is aware that she has been tremendously honored by this unique visitation — that God has exalted her despite her humble origins.  And she also is keenly aware that this experience will transcend her own humble existence:

For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.

She recognizes that what is happening to her is of great historical significance.

At the same time, she is very careful to ascribe all honor and glory to God:

For he who is mighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name.

This is a very theocentric, i.e., God-centered hymn of praise.

Then, in verses 50-55, the song’s scope expands to include all generations, and sounds a theme of social justice that resonates with the same concerns lifted up by the Hebrew prophets of the Old Testament.

She focuses on God’s mercy that is offered to all who fear him down through the ages; but she also lifts up the same concern for the poor and the oppressed and the hungry that was voiced by Isaiah and Amos and Micah and other prophets.  Mary’s song proves to be quite counter cultural — the proud are scattered, rulers are deposed from their thrones, the rich lose all that they have!

In contrast, the humble are lifted up, the hungry are satisfied with food, and Israel is helped by the mercies of God.

All of this is in keeping with the promises of those same prophets cited earlier — that God has kept faith with the descendants of Abraham.

It is clear that this song of praise is consistent with the Old Testament and the prophetic tradition of social justice and deliverance, and that the promises to Abraham and to Israel are kept inviolable.

APPLY:  

It has been said that the Magnificat is one of the most powerful revolutionary documents in all of Scripture, if not all literature.  Even a shallow reading leads to the conclusion that God is definitely going to turn the tables on the rich and the powerful, and the poor and humble will be lifted up.  There will be a reversal of status and position.

It has even been said that a British bishop in a third world country cautioned his priests against reading this passage aloud in church to the oppressed citizens of their colony, because it might lead to social upheaval and revolution!

But it begins in the life and literally in the womb of a young woman.  Her consent to the news that she was to become the mother of the Messiah is a pivotal act in history.  By saying, as she does, let it be done to me according to your word (Luke 1:38), she sets a revolution in motion.

It is not to be a violent revolution, except for those who resist the coming of the Messiah.  It is to be a revolution of mercy, lifting the humble from their oppressed social status, and feeding those who are hungry.

The violence that occurs because of the coming of the Messiah is from reactionaries — from those who are aware that they will lose their power and prestige, and who see this woman’s son as a threat to the status quo.  They react to his teaching and his healing and his “hunger relief program” by crucifying him, and then by persecuting his followers.

But all of that is to come later — as will the mighty deeds that God will accomplish with his arm. The birth, life, ministry, cross and resurrection of Jesus have indeed:

 scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

And it all begins with the blessed Virgin Mary and this great thing that God has done for her and through her.

RESPOND: 

I sometimes forget that the Scriptures we so glibly read in worship services during this season of Advent are RADICAL!

True, all generations are blessed by that child that has been conceived in Mary.  But if I take the words of Scripture seriously, they call me to examine which group I’m a part of — am I arrogant or humble, ruler or ruled, full or hungry?

But more importantly, what am I to do about it?  Fear God, humble myself before him, and identify with the poor and the oppressed?  I think so.

Our Lord, I cannot improve on Mary’s words. But I am aware that as with Mary you have honored me with your favor simply by offering me your grace and mercy.  Forgive me when I crow with the proud and seek to be imperious like the rulers.  Give me an identification with the humble and poor so that I might be in ministry to them — because that’s where you are.  Amen.

PHOTOS:
"Magnificat" uses this image: "Visitation" by Franz Anton Maulbertsch is in the Public Domain.

Old Testament for December 24, 2023

“King David”
From the East window at Pusey House chapel, by Comper, c.1935-9.
(caption and photograph by Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P.)

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

King David is the model king upon whom the monarchy in Israel is predicated, and by whose standards every subsequent king would be judged.

In this passage, David has been crowned king of both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, and he has established his capital in the “neutral” zone between the two kingdoms in the city of Jerusalem.  Jerusalem had been a city belonging to the Jebusite people until David conquered it.

But David’s conscience is troubling him.  He built himself a palace in Jerusalem, but the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord still rests amidst the tents of the tabernacle as had been directed by Moses some hundreds of years earlier.

In the previous chapter, 2 Samuel 6, David had personally led the procession bringing the Ark of the Covenant into the city of Jerusalem, dancing ecstatically before the Ark.

Now he feels led to build a suitable house for the Ark of the Covenant.  His motivation is noble — he wants a temple that more adequately reflects the reverence due to the Lord.

He consults the prophet Nathan, who initially gives the green light to build it, until the Lord intervenes with Nathan in the night.

The message is clear:

  • The Lord does not require a house of cedar in which to dwell. God is not localized or limited by boundaries. God dwells everywhere in his creation, and in the midst of his people.
  • The Lord called David from the shepherds’ fields and has given him victories in battle and made him ruler over Israel. God didn’t do that in order for David to build him a house! God has given to David, not David to God.
  • And God issues definite promises — David’s fame will equal the greatest men in history; Israel under his rule will be established in peace and security from their enemies; David won’t build a house for God, but God will establish a “house,” i.e., a dynasty, for David; and that dynasty shall last forever and ever.

In verses 12-15, not included in our text today, God also makes it clear that David’s direct descendant specifically will build a temple for God, as we see if we read on into the Book of 1 Kings. That son will be Solomon.

APPLY:  

This may seem an odd passage for the season of Advent, until we consider the view from a prophetic perspective.  The promises made to David may be provisionally fulfilled by his son Solomon, who does build a temple to the Lord in Jerusalem.  But the sorry story of David’s descendants can’t possibly begin to fulfill this prophecy:

  • Solomon loses his way because he begins to worship the many gods and goddesses of his many wives.
  • Rehoboam, David’s grandson, follows bad advice and ends up losing the northern kingdom of Israel, leaving only Judah as the remaining kingdom over which he and his descendants will reign.
  • Even the best of the kings of Judah were flawed.  Eventually, in 587 B.C., the last descendant of David to actually reign in Jerusalem, Zedekiah, will be deposed by the Babylonians and the temple and city of Jerusalem reduced to rubble.

Ah, but that doesn’t snuff out the lineage of David!  If we consult the genealogies found in Matthew 1 and Luke 3, we see that David’s descendants continued even through the dark years of exile. David’s line continues through the years when some of the Israelites returned to Judea and they continued first as a vassal state of the Persians, and then the Greeks, and then the Romans. But none of David’s descendants would ever sit on the throne again after Zedekiah.  Except for the one whose throne is eternal.

This is the Son of David whom the Angel Gabriel describes to Mary in The Annunciation: Luke’s Gospel, chapter 1, verses 32-33:

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.

In other words, Luke and other New Testament writers understand that Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecy that was given through Nathan to David. The only king whose throne would last forever and whose kingdom would never end, is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

We see yet again that there is a direct and conscious link between the Old and New Testament; that in fact Jesus is the fulfillment of all the law and the prophets. Therefore, the Old Testament is also our book as Christians.  We are children of Abraham because of our faith.  We are guided by the laws of Moses in our ethical behavior.  The Wisdom books provide prudent help for our daily lives.  And the prophets speak to us just as clearly about social justice, the age to come, and the Messiah as they did to the Jews.

Jesus is our prophet, priest and king.

Respond: 

God does not “need” my meager efforts to please him.  Instead, like David, he promises to establish me, and to work in my life.  Whatever meager gifts or successes I have enjoyed come from God’s hands.  And I pray that I will continue to submit to my Lord and my King who was born in the city of David and who lives and reigns over me. I am a subject of one King and one King only.

I am your subject, Lord.  The promises you have made that the Son of David will sit on the throne forever and ever remind me that he is your Son as well.  Rule in my life forever and ever.  Amen. 

PHOTOS:
King David” by Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic license.

Gospel for December 18, 2022

 

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“Angel appearing to St Joseph” is a photograph taken by Lawrence OP of windows by Clayton and Bell in the south wall at Freeland which commemorate the life of the Virgin.

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 1:18-25
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

The birth of Jesus begins with what seems to be a scandal.  His mother is pregnant before she has been married to her fiance, Joseph.  And Joseph knows that he has not been with her.

As the readers of the Gospel, we know what Joseph does not know:

she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.

This is a serious claim, that Mary has not been with another man, but has been impregnated directly by the Holy Spirit.  Joseph reacts as nearly every man would react — he knows where babies come from, and he doesn’t believe this story for a second.  But he is also a decent and compassionate man:

Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.

Here was his dilemma — according to the law of Moses, a young newlywed bride could be stoned to death if her husband found evidence that she was not a virgin (Deuteronomy 22:20-21).  Pregnancy would certainly apply!

Therefore Joseph wishes to hush up Mary’s “mistake” and put her away secretly. This suggests that he would quietly end the engagement and send her away where she might be safe from condemnation.

Enter divine intervention:

But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.  She shall give birth to a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”

Like his patriarchal namesake, Joseph the dreamer and the interpreter of dreams (cf Genesis, chapters 37, 40, 41), Joseph the son of David receives a message through a dream.  Joseph’s  genealogy, recorded in Matthew 1:1-17, confirms that this obscure man is actually an heir of the greatest king in Israel’s history.

But that isn’t what sets Joseph apart.  What sets him apart is that he believes that this dream is from God.  He accepts the impossible premise that Mary is telling the truth:

 that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

And the Scriptures also corroborate Joseph’s experience:

Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child,
and shall give birth to a son.
They shall call his name Immanuel”

Matthew the evangelist is quoting Isaiah 7:14 (CLICK HERE to see the Old Testament lectionary reading for this Sunday, from Isaiah 7:10-16 for more background).

Not only does Isaiah’s prophecy confirm the virgin birth of the Messiah, it also reveals the nature of Jesus as the divine Son of God.   Immanuel means:

“God with us.”

Joseph is convinced by his dream, and takes Mary as his wife, fulfilling the instructions of the angel:

Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself;  and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.

APPLY:  

It is very clear that Matthew and Luke both firmly believe in the virgin birth of Jesus.  This is made clear by the angelic visitation recorded in both Gospels.  In Matthew’s Gospel, the angelic visitation comes in Joseph’s dream.  In Luke’s Gospel, the Angel Gabriel appears directly to Mary. Gabriel confirms that despite her virginity Mary will conceive and give birth to the Son of the Most High who will also be a descendant of David through her bloodline (Luke 1:26-37).  The Angel Gabriel is also named twice in his appearances in the Old Testament book of Daniel (Daniel 8:16; 9:21); and Gabriel also appeared to the priest Zechariah and announced he would be the father of John (Luke 1:19).

When Matthew quotes Isaiah 7:14, he is corroborating the experience of Mary and the angelic witness to Joseph.  Scripture and experience reinforce one another.

Why does it matter whether or not Mary was a virgin, as the Scriptures claim?  Somewhere in my theological reading over the years I came across the relationship between the res and the signo of this miracle.

There is the res — the thing itself.  That is the fact that Mary had not had relations with a man.

But then, even more importantly, is the signo — the sign. The sign is what the res (the thing) points to — and what the Virgin Birth points to is that Jesus is the divine Son of God and the human son of Mary.  He is both God and man.  This is of vital importance, because if Jesus is only human, he would not have the power to save us from our sins.  And if Jesus is only divine, he would not be able to identify with our suffering and weakness and temptation.  But in fact Jesus has become like us:

For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15).

What difference does it make?

Joseph takes the leap of faith — and believes. And he becomes a key participant in salvation history.  We take the leap of faith — that Jesus is Immanuel — and we are incorporated into these mighty acts of salvation!  

RESPOND: 

There is an old saying — you can’t just be a little bit pregnant.  A woman is either pregnant or she’s not.  The same may be said of Mary’s virginal conception — either she was a virgin, or she was not.

The claim of Matthew and Luke’s Gospels, and of the historic Christian church, is that Mary was a virgin.  And this is vital, not because the creeds claim it, or the church has affirmed it historically, but because it is true.  And because it is true, the Jesus who walked the dusty roads of Galilee, and whose hands and feet were pierced by Roman nails, and who bled Jewish blood, is also God with us. 

Lord, the claims of the Gospel don’t depend on whether I believe them or not, or whether I understand them.  But because these claims are true, they confirm for me that I have a Savior who is more than a man, but who has been a human being like me.  You have humbled yourself to come to me, so that you could lift me up to yourself.  I can only give thanks!  Amen. 

PHOTOS:
"Angel appearing to St Joseph" by Lawrence OP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic license.

Epistle for December 18, 2022

 

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“The Book of Romans – Wordle style” by Rowen Atkinson

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Romans 1:1-7
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

The Apostle Paul is introducing himself and his message to the church at Rome.  Most scholars agree that he had not yet visited the community of faith in Rome, and that this letter was written prior to his arrest in Jerusalem and his eventual voyage to the Imperial City under armed guard.

Therefore, this introduction is somewhat formulaic, but it also lays out some of the essentials of Christian faith — almost like a creed.

First, he establishes his own authority and credentials:

a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the Good News of God…

His allegiance is to the service of Christ, but he also claims equal billing with the 12 apostles because he has been called and set apart to be sent forth to preach the Good News (the Greek root of apostle means one who is sent forth, particularly as a messenger).

Second, Paul establishes the continuity between the revelation to the Jews and the advent of Christ:

…which he promised before through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was born of the offspring of David according to the flesh…

Two things are made clear here — first, that the Hebrew Scriptures are the source of prophecies concerning the coming of Christ; and second, Paul is very much aware of the Davidic dynasty and the genealogy of Jesus as David’s descendant.  Therefore Paul does not see any discontinuity between Judaism and the Gospel.

However, Jesus was more than just the offspring of David according to the flesh.

[Jesus] was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord…

This is truly a credal statement.  Paul will insist that this is an article of faith for the church, i.e., that Jesus has been certified as the Son of God with power by the Holy Spirit, and because of his resurrection from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus is the essential historical fact of the Gospel, without which everything revealed in the Scriptures falls like a house of cards.  As Paul insists to the church at Corinth:

 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

Everything else follows from this central fact.  Because of the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord, Paul says:

we received grace and apostleship, for obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name’s sake….

Note the foreshadowing of one of the important themes of the Epistle to the Romans — the inclusion of all the nations.  The original revelation of God’s plan of salvation was revealed to the Jews through the prophets, but it has been made available by faith even to the gentiles (i.e., the nations).

Finally, Paul makes his formal greeting to the church in Rome:

among whom you are also called to belong to Jesus Christ; to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints….

All who are called to belong to Jesus Christ are called to be saints. The Greek word for saint means holy.  It must be said that Paul has twice mentioned grace in relation to this holy relationship with God.  He will explore grace at length in the book of Romans.  Here we simply get a small preview that holiness is a result of God’s grace (his gift), not a result of human achievement.

His final greeting in our passage is also very notable:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Father and the Son, are mentioned as co-equals.  We can also make the case that the whole Trinity is implicit here, with the mention of the Spirit of holiness in verse 4.

So, Paul has addressed, in this brief introduction, a synopsis of the Gospel:

  • The Hebrew roots of the Christian faith;
  • The nature of Jesus as Son of Man (the offspring of David) and Son of God;
  • The resurrection of Jesus from the dead;
  • Justification by faith, which he will explore in great detail in this letter, as well as the grace whereby one may be saved;
  • The inclusion of the gentiles in this new covenant;
  • and, yes, even the Trinitarian nature of God as Father, Son and Spirit.

APPLY:  

We are reminded that the coming of Jesus and his Good News didn’t occur in a vacuum.  He came as the fulfillment of the promises of the prophets in the holy Scriptures. 

But it is also true that his resurrection and power are available to all who believe — Jews and Gentiles alike.

And that is Good News!

RESPOND: 

I was listening with some interest to a writer who was being interviewed on the radio. I only caught the very end of the program, but I heard him say something that caught my imagination. He said, “When we write well, we think well.”

I’m amazed when I think of how concisely Paul introduces some of the central ideas of his letter to the Romans in just these first few verses.

When I have attended writer’s conferences over the years, we have been encouraged to develop what is called an “elevator pitch.”  An elevator pitch is a very brief summary of our book, play, or screenplay. If we find ourselves alone with an editor or publisher or producer, we could reel it off very quickly.  The pitch is limited to one minute — the hypothetical time it would take to ride in an elevator! The trick is to be brief and to get their attention with something different, or something that they need.

It seems to me that every Christian should be ready with an “elevator pitch” concerning their faith, so that they can share the Gospel with anyone in a brief but compelling way.

Lord, you have fulfilled all your promises to us in Christ, and we believe that you will fulfill all the promises that are to come. May we live with faith and in hope for your kingdom.  Amen. 

 PHOTOS:
"The Book of Romans - Wordle style" by Rowan Atkinson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for December 18, 2022

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This Psalm appeals to the Lord for intervention in a time of adversity.  It is described as a Psalm of Lament.  It is difficult to tell from the context alone if the Psalm was written before or after the exile of Israel.  It doesn’t really matter to the reader, because it is clearly a cry for help in any event. One clue, though, might be the mention of the tribes of Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh, which would suggest that the Psalm was written before the Northern Kingdom of Israel was destroyed and scattered by the Assyrians in 722 B.C.

The imagery of the Lord as Shepherd is familiar to us, and comforting — but then there is the imagery of the Lord sitting enthroned between the cherubim. The cherubim are those terrifying angelic figures who are depicted as the guardians of Eden with a sword of flame, and the close companions of the Lord who bear him up with wings of the wind.  This description of Yahweh is much more intimidating.  There may also be a reference to the winged cherubim made of gold who flank the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies within the temple.

But what does the Psalmist seek? Restoration, revival, salvation.  He cries out for the Lord to awaken, and to make his face shine on them again.  This hearkens back to the Deuteronomic blessing that Aaron was instructed to give as High Priest:

Yahweh bless you, and keep you.
Yahweh make his face to shine on you,
and be gracious to you.
Yahweh lift up his face toward you,
and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26).

There may also be a reference to the glory of God that accompanies his presence — the same glory that made the face of Moses shine after he’d been in the presence of the Lord.

But there’s a catch — God is now angry with Israel.  The result of his anger is the deep grief of Israel and the derision and mockery by their enemies.  Their grief is expressed in a very concrete image — their very food is drenched by tears, and their drinking bowls are full of tears!

We don’t really know the specific cause of this disruption in their relationship with their God, but it could be any one of many of Israel’s historic setbacks.

The refrain recurs as a kind of litany three times:

Revive us, and we will call on your name.
Turn us again, Yahweh God of Armies.
Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.

And what is the source of that salvation?  The Christian reader can’t help but read into the Psalm a messianic prophecy:

Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself.

The phrase son of man may have many meanings, but one that is inescapable for the Christian is Messianic.  Jesus uses this phrase repeatedly in the Gospels when referring to himself.

APPLY:  

At some point we all know how it feels to be defeated, demoralized, in despair — as a nation, a family, an individual.  The cry of the Psalmist isn’t far from the experience of any of us.

We have all tasted our own tears of grief or shame; and we probably know what it feels like to be despised by someone because of our mistakes.

What we cry out for, in our nation, our church, our family, our own lives, is revival and restoration.  If once we have experienced the presence of God in our lives — if we have known the shine of his face — and it has faded for us, we earnestly yearn for it again.

We will find our revival and restoration in the life and the light of Christ, who brings not only salvation from our sins but healing to our hearts, and the power to live the holy lives to which he calls us.

RESPOND: 

I find myself from time to time dealing with my own drift away from God.  I have to cry out again for renewal and revival.  As with the Psalmist this happens when I begin to call out God’s name and seek to live according to the claims of his name.

Our Lord, our nation experiences victories, but also sees defeats — the disabled veteran who wonders ‘was it worth it?’ The ambiguity of race relations in a divided country.  And our own personal struggles with grief or depression.  We don’t have the wisdom to provide all the answers.  But you have provided a Person who is wisdom incarnate, and salvation, and new life!  May we find our source of healing and salvation in Christ! Amen.

PHOTOS:
“Psalm 80” by Brett Jordan is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

Old Testament for December 18, 2022

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Isaiah 7:10-16
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This is one of those passages that clearly has a double meaning prophetically.  On the one hand, there is the meaning for the time of Isaiah, who is prophet in the time of King Ahaz of Judah (reigned 736-716 B.C.). On the other hand, Matthew’s Gospel interprets this oracle as a prophecy concerning the birth of Jesus.

Ahaz ruled Judah in turbulent times. Early in his reign, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the king of Israel forged a military alliance in order to invade Judah and divide it between them under a puppet ruler (Isaiah 7:1-6).  The Northern Kingdom shared common heritage and religion with Judah as part of the original 12 tribes of Israel, until Israel rebelled against Rehoboam’s harsh rule in 931 B.C (1 Kings 12).  From that time on there was intermittent strife between Israel and Judah.  Israel is also known variously as the Northern Kingdom, Ephraim, and Samaria.

However, Ahaz is assured by Isaiah that Syria and Israel will not be a threat to Judah — he predicts that in 65 years Israel itself would be broken up (Isaiah 7:8-9). This is what did happen when Assyria invaded and conquered the Northern Kingdom in 721 B.C., and deported its inhabitants, scattering them throughout the Assyrian empire.

So, Isaiah’s question on behalf of Yahweh is significant:

Yahweh spoke again to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign of Yahweh your God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.”

This is an invitation to seek even more blessing and success.  What Isaiah says to Ahaz in the verse prior to this is very revealing:

If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established (Isaiah 7:9).

This seems to be the problem for Ahaz — he lacks faith.  He is too timid to ask anything of Yahweh, even though the prophet himself has offered on behalf of Yahweh:

But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, neither will I tempt Yahweh.”

Yahweh has lost patience with Ahaz’s timid faith, and promises a sign:

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.   

The Hebrew word for virgin is almah, which many modern commentators point out means simply a young woman of childbearing age who has not yet had children.

As the oracle continues it does apply to the time of Ahaz:

For before the child knows to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land whose two kings you abhor shall be forsaken.

In other words, the child will eat of the abundance of the land, and before he is old enough to have moral accountability, the kings of Syria and Ephraim will face disaster.

Obviously, the New Testament interpretation of this text takes us in a very different direction.  Let’s take that up in the Apply section.

APPLY:  

Again, we return to one of the dilemmas of Biblical interpretation.  There is a definite historical context for Isaiah’s prophecy in chapter 7 — the threat of invasion that Ahaz’s kingdom of Judah faces from Syria and Israel.  The prophet is advising the king that his sign will be the birth of a male child who will be named Immanuel — and that before he is old enough to know right from wrong, the threat will be eliminated.

But Matthew’s Gospel makes it clear that there is a dual nature to this prophecy.  When Mary conceives prior to her marriage to Joseph, Joseph is alarmed.  But an angel appears to Joseph in a dream to reassure him that he is to marry her, because the child has been conceived by the Holy Spirit of God (Matthew 1:18-21).  Matthew then quotes Isaiah’s prophecy as evidence of this miraculous conception:

Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child,
and shall give birth to a son.
They shall call his name Immanuel”;
which is, being interpreted, “God with us” (Matthew 1:22-23).

If there is any doubt that Mary is truly a virgin, Luke’s Gospel corroborates Matthew’s claim.  The Angel Gabriel appears to Mary and tells her that she will conceive and give birth to a son whom she will name Jesus.  But Mary is deeply troubled:

Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34).

In other words, Mary knows that this is an impossibility based on normal human biology.  She’s not naive.  But the angel assures her:

The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35).

There will be more to say about this in the Gospel reading for this week, from Matthew 1:18-25.  But for now, suffice it to say that at least two Gospel writers were convinced that Jesus was virgin-born, and this was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy.

This has also been the belief of the church for nearly 2000 years, and this faith is reflected in the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds.  The reason for this is very simple — Jesus fulfills this prophecy more completely than a child born in the 8th century B.C.  Only Jesus can truly be described as Immanuel — God with us. 

RESPOND: 

I recently had a conversation with a close friend who speculated about the Virgin Birth, and wondered how important it really is.  After all, he suggested, wouldn’t it be just as meaningful if Mary had conceived Jesus by the normal human process, and God lifted him up from his humble origins?  Isn’t that something that God often does in Scripture, he said — lift up the humble and the lowly?

I was pretty emphatic in my response. The Virgin Birth points to a truth about the nature of Jesus.  That truth is not that Jesus was lifted up to God; instead, Jesus is God in the flesh who has humbled himself and come down to us from heaven!  My friend’s view, I said, is Arian — that God looked with favor on Jesus and adopted him as his son.  But the view that Jesus is God who has become human is consistent with the Scriptures:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:1, 14)

Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:5-7).

This is why the Virgin Birth matters — other than the obvious fact that it is a doctrine of the church.  It reveals something about the nature of Jesus. Jesus isn’t a human being aspiring to be close to God.  Jesus is God who becomes a human being in order to lift us up to God.  He alone is Immanuel. 

Our Lord, we find it hard to wrap our minds around what you have done because it seldom matches our expectations and boundaries. You reveal yourself through a Virgin Birth, and you become like we are so that we can become like you because it is unique.  Thank you for humbling yourself so that we might be exalted with you by faith.  Amen. 

PHOTOS:
Isaiah 7_14” by Baptist Union of Great Britain is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.

Psalter Reading for December 11, 2022

Note from Celeste:

Before we look at today’s lectionary reading, I’d like to draw your attention to my Advent Bible Study books.

Getting Ready for Christmas is part of the Choose This Day Multiple Choice Bible Studies series, available in paperback and ebook.

The daily devotionals take 10-15 minutes and include:

  • Scripture passage (World English Bible)
  • Fun, entertaining multiple choice questions focused directly on the Scripture passage
  • Short meditation that can be used as a discussion starter.

Like an Advent calendar, Getting Ready for Christmas begins on December 1 and ends December 25. However, these 25 devotionals focusing on the Messiah can be used any time of year.

Use this book personally during a coffee break or with the family in the car or at the dinner table.

Order Getting Ready for Christmas  today to prepare your family for this year’s Christmas season!
CLICK HERE for Amazon’s Kindle book of Getting Ready for Christmas.
CLICK HERE for Amazon’s Paperback of Getting Ready for Christmas.

And here’s the link to its puzzle companion book: Getting Ready for Christmas Word Search Puzzles for Advent. 

It’s a large-print puzzle book with over 1,200 hidden words taken straight from the same 25 Scripture readings. (30 puzzles in all.)

If you’re not in the U.S., you can still order the books from your country’s amazon platform. Simply search for “Getting Ready for Christmas” by Celesta Letchworth.

Thank you for your consideration! And thank you for faithfully following Tom’s SOAR blog!


AND NOW, BACK TO TODAY’S LECTIONARY READING:

magnificat

“Visitation” by Franz Anton Maulbertsch (1724-1796)

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Luke 1:46b-55
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This passage is an excerpt from the famous passage known traditionally as The Magnificat.

Here is the context — Mary, upon being told by the Angel Gabriel that she will be the virgin mother of Jesus, is also told that her relative Elizabeth is expecting a child as well. So, like many expecting mothers who welcome fellowship with other moms-to-be, she travels from Nazareth to the hill country of Judea where Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah live (Luke 1:26-45).

The occasion for this poem of superlative beauty is the instant recognition by Elizabeth that the child within Mary is divine. Elizabeth says to Mary:

“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!  Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!  Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!” (Luke 1:42-45).

Mary’s response to Elizabeth’s inspired greeting is her song of praise to Almighty God.  The song seems to come from somewhere deep within her soul as she praises God for what he has done for her and for all people through her.

Mary is aware that she has been tremendously honored by this unique visitation — that God has exalted her despite her humble origins.  And she also is keenly aware that this experience will transcend her own humble existence:

For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.

She recognizes that what is happening to her is of great historical significance.

At the same time, she is very careful to ascribe all honor and glory to God:

For he who is mighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name.

This is a very theocentric, i.e., God-centered hymn of praise.

Then, in verses 50-55, the song’s scope expands to include all generations, and sounds a theme of social justice that resonates with the same concerns lifted up by the Hebrew prophets of the Old Testament.

She focuses on God’s mercy that is offered to all who fear him down through the ages; but she also lifts up the same concern for the poor and the oppressed and the hungry that was voiced by Isaiah and Amos and Micah and other prophets.  Mary’s song proves to be quite counter cultural — the proud are scattered, rulers are deposed from their thrones, the rich lose all that they have!

In contrast, the humble are lifted up, the hungry are satisfied with food, and Israel is helped by the mercies of God.

All of this is in keeping with the promises of those same prophets cited earlier — that God has kept faith with the descendants of Abraham.

It is clear that this song of praise is consistent with the Old Testament and the prophetic tradition of social justice and deliverance, and that the promises to Abraham and to Israel are kept inviolable.

APPLY:  

It has been said that the Magnificat is one of the most powerful revolutionary documents in all of Scripture, if not all literature.  Even a shallow reading leads to the conclusion that God is definitely going to turn the tables on the rich and the powerful, and the poor and humble will be lifted up.  There will be a reversal of status and position.

It has even been said that a British bishop in a third world country cautioned his priests against reading this passage aloud in church to the oppressed citizens of their colony, because it might lead to social upheaval and revolution!

But it begins in the life and literally in the womb of a young woman.  Her consent to the news that she was to become the mother of the Messiah is a pivotal act in history.  By saying, as she does, let it be done to me according to your word (Luke 1:38), she sets a revolution in motion.

It is not to be a violent revolution, except for those who resist the coming of the Messiah.  It is to be a revolution of mercy, lifting the humble from their oppressed social status, and feeding those who are hungry.

The violence that occurs because of the coming of the Messiah is from reactionaries — from those who are aware that they will lose their power and prestige, and who see this woman’s son as a threat to the status quo.  They react to his teaching and his healing and his “hunger relief program” by crucifying him, and then by persecuting his followers.

But all of that is to come later — as will the mighty deeds that God will accomplish with his arm. The birth, life, ministry, cross and resurrection of Jesus have indeed:

 scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

And it all begins with the blessed Virgin Mary and this great thing that God has done for her and through her.

RESPOND: 

I sometimes forget that the Scriptures we so glibly read in worship services during this season of Advent are RADICAL!

True, all generations are blessed by that child that has been conceived in Mary.  But if I take the words of Scripture seriously, they call me to examine which group I’m a part of — am I arrogant or humble, ruler or ruled, full or hungry?

But more importantly, what am I to do about it?  Fear God, humble myself before him, and identify with the poor and the oppressed?  I think so.

Our Lord, I cannot improve on Mary’s words. But I am aware that as with Mary you have honored me with your favor simply by offering me your grace and mercy.  Forgive me when I crow with the proud and seek to be imperious like the rulers.  Give me an identification with the humble and poor so that I might be in ministry to them — because that’s where you are.  Amen.

PHOTOS:
"Visitation" by Franz Anton Maulbertsch is in the Public Domain.

Gospel for December 19, 2021

Note from Celeste:

Before we look at today’s lectionary reading, I’d like to draw your attention to my Advent Bible Study books.

Getting Ready for Christmas is part of the Choose This Day Multiple Choice Bible Studies series, available in paperback and ebook.

The daily devotionals take 10-15 minutes and include:

  • Scripture passage (World English Bible)
  • Fun, entertaining multiple choice questions focused directly on the Scripture passage
  • Short meditation that can be used as a discussion starter.

Like an Advent calendar, Getting Ready for Christmas begins on December 1 and ends December 25. However, these 25 devotionals focusing on the Messiah can be used any time of year.

Use this book personally during a coffee break or with the family in the car or at the dinner table.

Order Getting Ready for Christmas  today to prepare your family for this year’s Christmas season!
CLICK HERE for Amazon’s Kindle book of Getting Ready for Christmas.
CLICK HERE for Amazon’s Paperback of Getting Ready for Christmas.

And here’s the link to its puzzle companion book: Getting Ready for Christmas Word Search Puzzles for Advent. 

It’s a large-print puzzle book with over 1,200 hidden words taken straight from the same 25 Scripture readings. (30 puzzles in all.)

If you’re not in the U.S., you can still order the books from your country’s amazon platform. Simply search for “Getting Ready for Christmas” by Celesta Letchworth.

Thank you for your consideration! And thank you for faithfully following Tom’s SOAR blog!


AND NOW, BACK TO TODAY’S LECTIONARY READING:

This stained glass window depicting "The Visitation" is from Magdalene College, Cambridge. [photo by Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P.]

This stained glass window depicting “The Visitation” is from Magdalene College, Cambridge. [photo by Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P.]

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Luke 1:39-45
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Luke’s careful investigations and interviews with those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word (Luke 1:2) provide a unique insight into the lives of these expectant mothers, Mary and Elizabeth.

Mary the young unmarried virgin from Nazareth is a descendant of the house of David. Her kinswoman Elizabeth, (who is descended from Aaron, the first High Priest of Israel), is well past the age of fertility for women.

And yet, because of the intervention of the Holy Spirit, both of these women have miraculously conceived.

Mary, learning that she has been favored to be the mother of the Messiah, and also learning that Elizabeth is expecting a child, seeks fellowship with another mom-to-be in these special circumstances.

So this young mother-to-be travels, likely on foot, from the highlands of Galilee, likely skirting the Samaritan highlands and traveling along the Jordan River Valley, and then up into the hills of Judea — a trip of about four or five days to cover roughly 60 miles.

But the meeting of these two women, who have perhaps not seen each other in some time, is electric: 

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit . . .

Although the movement of unborn children in the womb is hardly unusual (Elizabeth is at least six months pregnant at this point), the Holy Spirit interprets to Elizabeth what this means — her unborn child is recognizing the supremacy of the unborn child in Mary’s womb.

[She] exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.”

Elizabeth recognizes the unique honor that Mary has received.  Elizabeth also acknowledges how honored she is by Mary’s visit.  It has been revealed to Elizabeth by the Holy Spirit that the child Mary is carrying is in fact the Lord!  Elizabeth interprets this visit as though Mary is royalty.

The next sentence is a little puzzling:

“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

Has Elizabeth been briefed about what the Angel Gabriel has promised Mary?  Or does she know this also by divine inspiration?  In any event, she completes the cycle of submission and faith that began when Mary said to Gabriel:

“Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

Mary is blessed because she has heard this unlikely promise of a virgin birth, and a holy child, and she has not only believed but obeyed.    

APPLY:  

These are two women of faith whose meeting becomes more than just a comparing of notes about pregnancy.  Their meeting becomes a spontaneous celebration of worship.

Mary’s response to Elizabeth’s confession of faith is the matchless Magnificat, one of the most beautiful and prophetic songs in Scripture.

In one sense this passage is unique.  There never was before or since such a pair of women with such extraordinary pregnancies or children.  John, who was to be the forerunner of Jesus the Messiah, was already announcing the advent of his Lord even in the womb!

But all expectant parents who gather at birth classes and nurseries to talk of their hopes and dreams for their children can certainly identify with the breathless sense of anticipation that both of these women experience.

Perhaps we can also have the sense in this Advent that we are expecting the birth of Jesus in our own hearts.

RESPOND: 

The Roman Catholic and Orthodox regard for Mary provides inspiration for me as a Protestant Christian.  Although I certainly don’t venerate her as the Queen of Heaven, nor do I anticipate asking for her intercession now and at the hour of our death, nonetheless I find her worthy of admiration as a woman who freely submitted her will to the will of God, and who became the mother of my Lord.

And I certainly do resonate with the Orthodox title for Mary as Theotokos, which means God Bearer.

But I also find Elizabeth to be admirable and worth emulating.  Elizabeth foreshadows the attitude of her own son in her deference to Mary.

Elizabeth acknowledges that Mary’s child is her own Lord, and does obeisance to Mary:

And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?

Similarly, her son John the Baptist will acknowledge the superiority of Jesus:

….one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals (Luke 3:16).

And in my own spiritual life, I must endeavor to follow John’s example as I seek to present Christ to others, and live as Christ’s follower:

 He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

Our Lord, my prayer is that I may recognize your presence just as Elizabeth recognizes that you have come to her.  Be present in my life, and be born in my heart.  Amen. 

PHOTOS:
The Visitation” by Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P. is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.