Fourth Sunday of Advent
In today’s readings we hear about two epic characters in the Bible separated by a thousand years of history – David and Mary. Both were dearly beloved to God. They were both chosen unexpectedly (David, the youngest son of Jesse was anointed while he was tending sheep and Mary, well, we do not know). They were both chosen for tasks that seemed beyond their abilities (the shepherd boy would be king of Israel and Mary would become the mother of the Son of God). David would become the most honoured king Israel ever knew and Mary would give birth to the promised the King of the universe. God’s promise to David that his kingdom would last forever is in fact fulfilled through Mary. Jesus, her son would inaugurate the Kingdom of God. A thousand years apart, David and Mary are connected by the same prophecy.
I wish to place three points for reflection before you.
All in God’s Hands
The one thing that impressed me about today’s readings is how the stories of two people, thousand years apart become intimately connected. David, the most successful king of Israel, wanted to build the house for God. David’s intentions were good and holy, but God tells David that God would build a house for David instead. In fact, the prophecy, “Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever (2 Sam 7:16)" could only be fulfilled by God and not by David. Little did David know that a thousand years later, God would use the same promise to speak to a humble virgin named Mary. The angel said to Mary, “… the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." God’s promise to David would be fulfilled through Mary and her Son. God would a totally different kind of House [Temple] and a totally different kind of people.
What does this mean for us? Globally, Christmas 2023 is turning out to be a rather tragic one. Even at this very moment, there is a war raging in the very land where Jesus was born, lived, died, and was resurrected. Perhaps, we wonder. This is because like David and even Mary, we are constrained by the limits of our existence. We do not why human history is progressing in the way it is. There is one thing we do know - human destiny as a whole and our personal histories are in the hands of God.
Mustering the Ability to Believe
To believe that God’s perspective is in play in the world today in the same way it was for David and Mary is what we call faith. Ultimately, even though David’s intentions to build a Temple did not materialize, he had to trust that God would accomplish this in God’s time. Mary too, at the annunciation had questions. “How can this be since I have to relations with a man?” They got answers but not in the way they would have imagined.
Both David and Mary exercise what we call, faith. They believed that a greater power is at work. They did not fully comprehend. They had questions. But they mustered the ability to believe that what was outside their control and comprehension is possible for God. When the angel said to her, “… for nothing will be impossible with God,” Mary actually believed. Today, we are being invited to Mary-like trust and faith.
Who could have Imagined?
We are a day away from Christmas. This is it! Who in the world could have ever imagined that a child born is stable and laid in a manger would change the course of human history? Who in the world could have ever imagined that a helpless, vulnerable baby in a manger and a helpless, dying on the cross would bring about human redemption. But that is exactly what happened.
I suggest that a day before Christmas, we focus on our ability to believe. Are there areas in our life that we are finding difficult to accept? And are we struggle to find God there? As we look at the past and realize God’s unimaginable work in human history and in our individual lives, perhaps Mary’s prayer become ours: “May it be done according to your word?” I am suggesting that this Christmas, we take that kind of trust to the manger.
Who would have thought that humble bread and simple wine would become a way for God to come to us? As we bring bread and wine to the altar let also bring our life to God. Let us pray that as we participate in the bread and the cup that our life may become like that of David and Mary. “Yes, Lord.! May it be done to me according to your word.”
Fr. Satish Joseph