Thursday of the Fourth Week of Advent

Today's Scripture

We are almost there! Our Advent longing will soon be fulfilled with the birth of our savior, the coming of the Christ into our world! In this last day of Advent, our readings turn our thoughts to that amazing mystery – the mystery of the perfect union of human and divine that comes to us in the person of Jesus, that small babe born to us on Christmas.

In the first reading from 2 Samuel, we hear David worrying about God having a house. David is resting, safe and secure, in his own palace, but the Ark of the Covenant, recognized as God’s presence dwelling in their midst, is left in a tent. David rightly is concerned about honoring God. But God’s answer is what points us to Christmas. It is not David who will provide God with a house, but God who will provide David with a “house.” In this case, the word “house” indicates “dynasty.” God will make great the house (or dynasty) of David; this will be the Kingdom of God.

We believe this promise is fulfilled in the coming of Jesus, and we see God’s words foreshadowing the Incarnation and Nativity. In the person of Jesus, the house of David has reached its fulfillment. This is described beautifully in the canticle of Zechariah, which is featured in our gospel passage from Luke: “He has raised up for us a mighty savior, born of the house of his servant David” (Lk 1:68).

One theme we should have grasped this Advent is that God wants to dwell with us. He desires to come to us, and to save us. He loves us and wants our sanctification. He wants us for his very own. As we long for God, so also God longs for us, desiring to lift us out of our sinful ways of life and draw us to his divine self. Our God comes to us, entering into this world through human structures. He comes as a recognized descendant of David. He comes as the son of Mary, to grow up in the family of Joseph. He comes into the world as have each of us – as an infant, dependent on the care of others.

In Jesus we have the meeting of the human and divine. We have God dwelling with us. He does not do this on David’s terms... or on our terms. But the way in which God dwells with us is infinitely better than anything we could have done. And so, in this final day of Advent, we are called to make ready our houses, our own humanity, our sinful selves, our pining hearts. We must be willing and ready to let God enter among us, to dwell in our midst.  We are invited to live in the Kingdom of God, to accept Jesus as our brother and God as our Father.

This Christmas, let us pray that we may enthusiastically accept the many graces of the Nativity and welcome Jesus the baby into our homes and into our hearts. God became human so that we might become holy and spend our lives with God, both on earth and in heaven. And so we say, come Lord Jesus, do not delay! Let us hasten toward our end!

- Maria Morrow