It seems to me that our gospel for today is appropriate for both the 4th Sunday of Advent AND for the Vigil of Christmas. We hear the narrative unfolding with the practiced ear of every Catholic who can nearly finish each line as soon as it is begun… “The angel Gabriel was sent from God… And the virgin’s name was Mary… the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid…’ ‘Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus (which means ‘God saves’)’… Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord…’”
This narrative reminds us in a very simple yet profound way that God was, is, and will always be with us. The past, the present and the future are all caught up in the mystery of our God who is not bound by our concepts of time and space. The primordial flaring of the universe 15 billion years ago was held in the timelessness of God. The emergence of galaxies and supernova, the formation of our own solar system between 5 and 1 billion years ago, was held in the timelessness of God. The development of cells, plants and animals, the appearance of mammals and the protogenitors of modern humanity all entered upon the stage of life unfolding, again against the backdrop of the timelessness of God. Humanity as we know it, our first efforts at shaping our world, our first efforts at music, our first experiences as hunter-gatherers, all unfolded against the backdrop of the timelessness of God. The emergence of the classical human civilizations, the rise and fall of empires, the growth and development of humanity, art, poetry, all unfolded in the timelessness of God.
Then Mary’s “yes” and the birth of Jesus Christ forever marked human experience with the “Anointed of God” becoming flesh in time and in space. In Jesus, the divine and the human are forever united, as the “eternal now” and “linear time” become one. The Incarnation reveals the presence of God in all creation. And in that moment of divinity become humanity, our dignity as human beings is revealed in an extraordinary way, such that humanity is forever and irrevocably impacted. The image of God made flesh in Jesus reveals the image of God enfleshed in every human being. The compassion of Jesus calls from within all of us a care and a compassion for all people, for all creation. As Jesus showed us, as God-made-flesh made apparent to us, we are made for relationship. We are hard-wired for love and that means for looking out for others with the compassion, care and tender strength that Jesus personified.
I doubt that when Mary spoke her “yes” to the angel, that she was thinking about any of this. I doubt that she knew in her moment of “yes” that all of Creation would find its fullest expression in her son. She may have grown into that awareness much as we might, as we reflect on the nature of who Jesus is for us in our lives and the difference he makes. For although Jesus may be born into the world as a vulnerable child, he grows to become a shining example of all that people are capable of. The warm beauty of the birth clashes with the hard truth of Calvary, and we know that to be a people of justice, truth and compassion demands a radical strength of personal integrity that allows us to see Resurrection beyond Crucifixion, life beyond death, light beyond darkness. “All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise.” The whole of Creation has seen the saving power of God, for our God is always with us. And our God saves.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory…”
Comments
Peggy Gustavson
Amen !!!