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Texts of the Readings
December
18, 2005
Fourth Sunday in Advent
(B)
Sr. Betty Jane Lillie
2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12,
14a, 16
X
Ps 89:2-5, 27, 29
X
Romans 16:25-27
X
Luke 1:26-38
From among our Advent companions Mary emerges to center stage. Her position
as mother of the Messiah puts her at the heart of the promise and
fulfillment of messianic prophecies. The prophetic oracle of Nathan (2 Sam
7) gives preeminence to the Davidic dynasty from which the further kings of
Israel would come. Luke brings it to eternal fulfillment in Jesus.
In those two moments in history we see the process of messianic
promise and fulfillment in motion. In the Hebrew Scriptures messianic
expectations took on a sense of temporal fulfillment. At that point in time
there was not a clear teaching about an afterlife in the early biblical
tradition. Even though Nathan’s oracle stated that the Davidic dynasty
would last forever, we know that historically it ended with
the fall of Judah. That caused a theological debacle for the nation. It
appeared that what God had said did not come true.
Our Gospel reading about the Annunciation of divine motherhood
to Mary brings in a Messiah whose kingdom would last forever. Thus, for
those who would be identified with the faith tradition of Jesus’ messianic
mission, it became possible to speak of his kingship as lasting forever in
his father’s kingdom.
Later, the High Priest asked Jesus,
“Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Jesus said, “I am; and you
will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with
the clouds of heaven.” (Mk 14:61-62) Thus in the Gospel tradition
fulfillment of messianic expectations moved to the eternal kingdom of God
where Jesus would sit at the right hand of his Father forever.
The Magnificat says that Mary’s Son would be great, and the Lord
God would give him the throne of his father David, and of his kingdom there
would be no end. (Lk 31:32-33) Ancient prophecy was being fulfilled and
Mary’s fiat opened the way for it into history. (Lk 1:38)
Our second reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans shows us the
richness of the Apostle’s theological understanding of Christ. It is the
longest and full expression of his thought. Our passage is the closing
benediction of the letter, and it is an apt choice for our sequence this
week. It ties together the thoughts of the other readings beautifully.
Perhaps there is no better way to present it than to use the Apostle’s text
as it is. He wrote as follows:
“Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel
and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the
mystery which was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed
and through the prophetic writings is made known to all nations,
according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the
obedience of faith—to the only wise God be glory for evermore
through Jesus Christ! Amen.” (Rom 16:25-27; Emphasis added.)
That passage in itself is a meditation. We can conclude with
the Psalmist: “I will sing of thy steadfast love, O Lord, forever. Thy
faithfulness is firm as the heavens.” (Ps 89)
Betty Jane Lillie, S.C. |
