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Meditation: 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12, 14, 16

4th Sunday of Advent

The Lord … will establish a house for you. (2 Samuel 7:11)

Imagine David’s surprise when God denied his request to build a temple but promised instead to build a house for David—a royal dynasty that would never end!

Like David, we often think that human hands can build a house for God. We think if we spend enough time accomplishing tasks in our churches or doing enough charitable works, we can establish his kingdom on earth. We tend to forget that the Christian life has just as much to do with humbly receiving unmerited grace from a powerful and generous God. We tend to forget God’s greatest desire—to build his personality, his priorities, and his passions within us.

There is a wonderful story about the late Vietnamese cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan who, while still a young bishop, was arrested and imprisoned by his government. Van Thuan was so devastated at not being able to complete the projects that he had started for God that he went nights without sleeping. Then one night he heard a voice saying, “Everything you have done and desire to continue doing … are God’s works, but they are not God. Choose God and not the works of God.”

These words changed Van Thuan’s whole way of thinking. He found a new peace and strength to surmount moments in prison that were almost unbearable.

In his book, Testimony of Hope, Cardinal Van Thuan referred to Mary as a prime example of choosing God and not the works of God. “She abandoned her projects without fully understanding the mystery that was being accomplished in her body and in her destiny.” By her fiat, Mary allowed God to build within her a house for Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords. May we follow her example and let God build his house within and among us.

“Jesus, I surrender to you. Come and dwell within me, so that I may give you glory.”

Psalm 89:2-5, 27, 29
Romans 16:25-27
Luke 1:26-38

Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion

(2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12,14,16; Psalm 89:2-5,27,29; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38)

1. In the first reading, God gives David this extraordinary promise through the prophet Nathan: “I will raise up your offspring after you, sprung from your loins, and I will establish his kingdom. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. Your house and your kingdom are firm forever before me; your throne shall be firmly established forever.” In what ways were the prophetic words by Nathan to David partially fulfilled in Solomon, his son, and completely fulfilled in Jesus?

2. Who of us wouldn’t want Nathan’s promise for ourselves, that is, that God will establish our house and our family forever. Yet each of us has an opportunity, through the grace of God, to affect our homes and our families for eternity. What might you do this Christmas season to bring members of your family to a deeper faith in Christ?

3. The responsorial psalm also contains prophetic words about the coming king who will establish his “throne for all generations.” How do these words, and Nathan’s prophetic words in the first reading, fulfill the words of the angel Gabriel to Mary in the Gospel reading?

4. The responsorial psalm also speaks of the Lord’s goodness, promises, faithfulness, and kindness. What steps can you take in your times of prayer to focus more on praising God for these attributes, rather than just asking for things?

5. The entire second reading is just one long sentence. It is simply a prayer of praise to God. It acknowledges God for strengthening us according to the “gospel,” the good news. In what ways have you been strengthened by the Gospel message, the Good News of Jesus Christ?

6. The Gospel reading is so familiar to us we may be inclined to pass over it too quickly. But when we look closely we see that the angel actually did not give Mary very many details about what her life would be like. And yet she accepted it unconditionally without insisting on knowing its impact on her. What a model she is for us. How about you? When you believe God is asking something of you, do you focus on how it will impact you or on trusting in God’s will for your life? Do you sometimes place conditions on God when he asks something of you? Can you give an example?

7. The meditation ends with these words: “By her fiat, Mary allowed God to build within her a house for Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords. May we follow her example and let God build his house within and among us.” What are some steps you can take to follow Mary’s example and open yourself to God’s “unmerited grace” and allow him to build within you “a house for Jesus Christ”? Why is building “a house for Jesus Christ” more than just doing good works? Why is it more about allowing Jesus to transform us more and more into his image and likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18, Romans 12:2)?

8. Take some time now to pray for the grace to give your life unconditionally to Jesus and bring him glory. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.

A Christian Pilgrim

WILL WE TAKE THE TIME TO QUIET OURSELVES BEFORE GOD AS MARY DID?

21 Dec

WILL WE TAKE THE TIME TO QUIET OURSELVES BEFORE GOD AS MARY DID?

(A biblical reflection on THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT, 21 December 2014)

Gospel Reading: Luke 1:26-38

First Reading: 2 Samuel 7:1-5,8-12,14,16; Psalms: Psalm 89:2-5,27,29; Second Reading: Romans 16:25-27

The Scripture Text

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no husband?” And the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:26-38 RSV)

At the moment of creation, the Spirit of God hovered over the waters (Genesis 1:2). At the moment of the incarnation, the Holy Spirit came upon Mary, and “the power of the Most High” overshadowed her (Luke 1:35). The longing of every human heart was answered as the virgin gave her consent to the angel’s words: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). At long last, God was to dwell among us.

King David once thought that human hands could build a house for God (2 Samuel 7:1-5), and God used this noble but misguided intention to deliver a double-edged lesson. First, He “rejected” David’s offer, maintaining His sovereignty in determining how He would rule Israel. Yet He also rewarded David’s gesture with a wonderful promise: “I will establish your descendants forever and build your throne for all generations” (Psalm 89:4). God’s word was fulfilled in part when Solomon built David’s temple and the glory of the Lord filled it (1 Kings 8:10-11). But the complete fulfillment came when Emmanuel (God with us) entered the world through Mary.

Mary was uniquely chosen to become the “handmaid of the Lord” (Luke 1:38), and the angel rightly greeted her as kecharitomene – the favoured one full of grace (Luke 1:28). We can share in that grace as we open our hearts to the Lord, confess our sins, and ask the Holy Spirit to bring the Gospel to life within us.

There is so much to ponder during this season of grace, so many wonderful dimensions of the mystery of God’s love for us. Yet the wonder of the incarnation comes to us in the midst of busy preparations: travelling, shopping, wrapping, cooking. Will we take the time to quiet ourselves before God as Mary did?

Let us be generous receivers of God’s grace over these next few days. It may seem difficult, even beyond our powers, but with the Lord, “nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37). He is the “only wise God” who “is able to strengthen you according to … the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages, but is now disclosed” (Romans 16:25-27). The mystery is that nothing, not even sin, can separate us from the love of God which became flesh in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, by Your Holy Spirit make me willing and able to quiet myself before You as Mary did. Open my heart to Your grace, so that through the angel’s message to Mary I can learn to believe in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, Your only begotten Son. Lead me to be a faithful disciple of Christ, by always saying “yes” to Your will. Amen.