WATCHWORD:
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. Micah 5:2
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings favored woman! The Lord is with you!” 29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. Luke 1:26-31
Meditation:
Come Lord Jesus
A bit of history — The first trimester of Mary’s pregnancy is spent with Elizabeth and Zechariah in their home in the town of Ein Karem, just a few miles from Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Mary has just heard from the angel about her pregnancy, and she fled to Elizabeth, her cousin. Understandably she was shaken by this news and sought the comfort and advice of the older woman. The distance Mary had to travel was 80 miles from Nazareth and it would have taken 9 or 10 days, over dangerous and rough terrain. Most likely, Mary would have joined other travelers, making their way to Jerusalem because she would not have made that Journey alone.
Often, when we read about events in the Bible, time and distance is compressed. When we understand the sequence of events, and the geography of Judah, that we can set the time-frame of what is happening. Joseph is unaware of the pregnancy until Mary returns to Nazareth and shares the news. It is after that conversation that the angel comes to Joseph to reassure him. So, Mary is probably in her fourth month of the pregnancy when Joseph learns this startling news.
In Bethlehem, Mary gives birth to the baby boy. After eight days, the young family travels to Jerusalem to present their baby for the circumcision rites, as required by Mosaic Law. At that time, the boy was given the name, Jesus. A month later, the parents returned to Jerusalem to dedicate Jesus. While in the temple they met Simeon the Elder, who told the parents, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose Him” (Luke 2:33-35). Mary and Joseph were amazed at what he said and they gave his words much thought as they returned to Nazareth.
All of the above is background, some of it familiar, some of it not so much. In this season of Advent, we struggle to fully understand, that, while we honor the baby in the manger, we must realize that it is our Creator God we honor, it is a magnificent sign to us of the promise that God has given us. God incarnate, in the frame of a mortal baby, first, and then a man, experiencing all that humans endure in the process of growing and living in community with others. He is indeed our Lord and Savior, even as his diapers are changed. He is our Lord and Savior even as he learns the language of the family. He is our Lord and Savior even as he learns from his mother who he is.
This is hard, even now, to grasp the significance and the inclusiveness of God’s love, and his desire to learn and to understand what his creatures must learn and understand. How do we apply our human capacity to think and reason, in order to understand what the Creator of the Universe went through in order to fully love and embrace us? As that fact penetrates our hearts, the meaning of His graces take on spiritual power.
Now the basic question is, how do we respond to this knowledge? The answer lies there in Luke 10:27: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” When we do that, all becomes clear. Amen.
Advent:
Into the bleakest winters of our souls, Lord, You are tiptoeing on tiny infant feet to find us, hold our hands. May we drop whatever it is we are so busy about these days to accept this gesture so small that it may get overlooked in our frantic search for something massive and overwhelming. Remind us that it is not you who demands large, lavish celebrations and enormous strobe lit displays of faith. Rather, you ask only that we have the faith of a mustard seed and willingness to let a small hand take ours. We are ready.
— By Margaret Anne Hoffman
Closing Prayer:
God of Love, Your son, Jesus, is your greatest gift to us. He is a sign of your love. Help us walk in that love during these weeks of Advent, As we wait and prepare for his coming. We pray in the name of Jesus, our Savior. Amen.
