Advent 4- Lessons and Carols

 

Genesis 2:4b–9,15–25; Isaiah 40: 1–11; Jeremiah 31:31–34; Baruch4:36–5:9; Isaiah 65:17–25: Luke 1:26-38

In our Gospel reading, the angel Gabriel announces God’s plan to Mary. She would be the mother of the Messiah, Jesus.

This moment has been coming for a long time. Some think it has been coming since God’s words to the Serpent in the Garden-

“I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will strike your head,
and you will strike his heel.’” (Gen 3:15).

St. Irenaeus comments on this text that 

“from then on it was proclaimed that he who was to be born of a virgin, after the likeness of Adam, would be on the watch for the serpent’s head” (Against Heresies 5.21.1.).  

Some saw in this curse the mysterious prophecy that There would be a man, born of a woman, who would strike the head of the serpent, and he would also be struck by the serpent, feeling its deadly venom, through his death on the cross.[1] … From the beginning, God, in His profound love, works to win humanity back to Himself.

As is often the case in life, we don’t go directly to where our life is heading. Our life is full of twists and turns. … And the story of humanity doesn’t get to its redemption by a direct route either. That’s the story we heard today. Humanity constantly gives in to the tempting voice of the serpent. But God constantly calls to humanity through the voice of the prophets.

God speaks to the people through Isaiah, 

“Comfort, O comfort my people, … Speak tenderly to Jerusalem” … 

 “A voice cries out: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

These are words that would come to be associated with John the Baptist, as the one who embodies the spirit of the Prophets, he calls out for the people to prepare for the coming of the Messiah.

The prophet Jeremiah speaks about a new covenant that God will make with His people. … And from the Apocrypha, we read from Baruch. It is a book named for the scribe of the prophet Jeremiah, and includes reflection on the Exile in Babylon. Under the Assyrians, 10 of the 12 tribes were lost (721 BC), and not everyone returned from the Babylonian captivity. … Through Baruch, Jerusalem is told about a future gathering of the children- from the East and the West. … Christians would come to see Jerusalem as symbolizing the Church that would gather the peoples of the world into one family.

And we return to the prophet Isaiah who speaks about God creating new heavens and a new earth, where there will be no more weeping, and even the lion and lamb will be at peace. … This is the 2nd coming of Christ.

Throughout history, God works to draw his people back to himself- to draw all of humanity back to himself.

And our reading from the Gospel of Luke brings us to the very edge of Advent. … We meet Mary who has become a part of the house of David through her betrothed, Joseph. … Mary is also connected to the priestly line through her family that includes her cousin Elizabeth, who was miraculously pregnant with John the Baptist. … So, there is a connection to the kingly line and the priestly line. Melchizedek, who was the priest-king of Salem (that would become Jerusalem) (Gen 14) was considered a Messianic symbol at the time of Jesus.

Mary is visited by an angel who tells her that she has found favour with God. As we might expect, she is perplexed by this encounter. And we hear the familiar angelic greeting, “Do not be afraid”. This passage, like many others in the Bible, shows that when God shows up, the status quo is disturbed.

Mary is told that she will carry a son, and that his name will be Jesus. The name “Jesus” comes from “Joshua” and means, “God saves”. It brings to mind the leader who took over from Moses to bring the people into the Promised Land to do battle with giants. He will be called the Son of God. He will sit on the throne as the Son of David, and his rule will have no end.

Mary questions how this could be, since she is a virgin. This brings to mind the passage from Isaiah, 

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Is 7:14). 

 The angel tells her that she will carry a child by the power of God, and that the child will be called the Son of God. Nothing is impossible for God.

After hearing this, Mary grants her consent, which opens the way for God’s plan to break into the world. Mary’s obedient “yes” to God’s plan has also often been seen as undoing Eve’s disobedient “No” to God’s command to not eat the forbidden fruit. … But this comes at no small cost to her. … To be pregnant and not married in her culture is to risk incredible shame and rejection. It could come with accusations of adultery, or of her and Joseph not waiting until their marriage was completed, and so committing the sin of fornication. … Simeon, when they present Jesus in the Temple, will tell Mary that on account of Jesus a “sword” will pierce her soul (Lk 2:35). … Like her son, and many prophets, following God often comes with suffering and running against the grain of society. … To follow God so closely also makes one an obvious enemy of the demonic powers- the head of that ancient serpent turns to strike at those who shine so brightly. … But through Mary, a son will be born whose heal will crush the head of the ancient serpent.

As we leave this time of reflection, may Mary’s faithful response inspire us to say “yes” to God’s call in our own lives. Even when the path is uncertain or the cost is great, may we be assured of God’s unrelenting love and desire to save us. And may we be reminded that nothing is impossible with God. AMEN

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[1] Justin Martyr and Tertullian say similar things