THE ADVENT OF “EMMANUEL: TRACING THE PROMISE FROM ISAIAH TO THE ANNUNCIATION. (Isaiah 7:10-14 and Luke 1:26-38).

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Today’s readings (Isaiah 7:10-14 and Luke 1:26-38) help depict mystery and beauty of the Nativity of the Lord. These passages reveal how God’s plan of salvation unfolds and how we should respond to His call at the approach of Christmas celebration.   

In the first reading (Isaiah 7:10-14), we see how the Lord offers King Ahaz a sign as a gesture of reassurance and guidance during a time of political turmoil and uncertainty in Israel. Although the Lord gives Ahaz a chance to trust Him by asking for a sign, Ahaz declines. His refusal may have been due to a lack of faith or a desire to rely on his own plans instead of God’s providence. However, the Lord still gives him a sign: “The Virgin will conceive and bear a son and shall name him Emmanuel.”. This sign points to the ultimate act of God's intervention in human history, the incarnation of God as man.

In the Gospel (Luke 1:26-38), we witness the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy as the angel Gabriel announces to Mary, a virgin, that she will bear a son, Jesus, who will be called the Son of the Most High. Mary responds with faith and obedience by saying “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”. Her “yes” to God’s request is for us a model of response to God invitation in our lives. She teaches us also to learn to dialogue with God in prayer for faith and reason are complementary in serving God. Mary’s acceptance paves the way for the miraculous birth of Jesus, the true Immanuel, “God with us.”

These passages prepare us for the Nativity of the Lord by highlighting the essential elements of Advent:  it’s a time to contemplate and welcome divine initiative, embrace fully human response, and the coming of salvation. They remind us to reflect on our own openness to God’s working in our lives and to recognize and respond to God’s presence and call. The birth of Jesus is not just a historical event but a present reality that demands our response, a response of faith, trust, and surrender to God’s loving plan.

These scriptures teach us that God's plans are often beyond our understanding, yet always for our ultimate good. They also teach us the intertwining of divine promise and human cooperation.  As we prepare to celebrate the Nativity of the Lord, let us open our hearts to the divine mystery, trusting in God's promises and responding with the same faith and obedience as Mary, ready to welcome Christ into our lives anew.

 

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, as we come closer to the feast of Nativity of your Son, Jesus, we humbly ask you to dispose our hearts to the contemplation of your divine promises revealed in the scriptures. In the words of Isaiah and the story of Mary, we find the courage to trust in Your plan, even when the path is veiled in mystery.

Lord, just as You called upon Ahaz to believe in Your signs and chose Mary for her unwavering faith, call us too into a deeper relationship with You. Help us to open our hearts, that we might respond with the same trust and obedience as Mary when she embraced Your will with a simple, yet profound, ‘Yes.’

May the birth of Jesus renew our faith and fill our lives with Your love and peace.

Bless us, O Lord, with the grace to receive Your Son into our lives, not just in this season but every day. Through the intercession of Mary, may our journey towards Christmas be a time of true spiritual awakening and joy.

 

We make our prayers through Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.


Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 20, 2023 at 11:27 AM

    Mother Mary said "Yes" to God's call without knowing the entire implication future implications. Her trust in God at the instant of Annunciation teaches us to embrace the present fully and entrust the future to God without fear

    ReplyDelete

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