HOMILY for December 24, 2017: 4th Sunday of Advent, Cycle B

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4^th Sunday of Advent, Cycle B

Terranova Hermitage

December 24, 2017

A Deeper Understanding of the Annunciation

 (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato

 

The Annunciation

Today’s gospel is one of the most well-known stories in the entire Bible.

It is called the Annunciation.  It is the event that sets in motion God taking on our humanity in the birth of Jesus. 

Because of this, I want to carefully reflect with you on this passage.  To do this, I invite you to open your bible to the Gospel of Luke 1:26-38. It is today’s gospel.

I am recommending that you may want to look at the passage as I comment on some of the significant details that are here.  Maybe we could call this a kind of Bible-study approach to today’s homily.

1. Mary as Disciple

The number one thing to notice is that Saint Luke presents Mary as the first and model disciple.

Just look at what happens.  The angel Gabriel greets Mary and explains what is about to take place.

Now look toward the end of the passage.  Mary responds: “I am the handmaid of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your word.”

So, Mary 1) listens and then 2) acts on God’s message.  It is helpful to think about her response in the context of a story later in Luke’s gospel. 

Jesus is teaching inside a house and someone says, “Your mother and family are outside wanting to talk with you.”  And Jesus responds, “My mother and family are those who hear the Word of God and live it.” 

So Jesus defines what it means to be a member of his spiritual family or a disciple – 1) hearing and 2) living his word.  The significant thing is that Mary has already done this before Jesus is even born. 

In fact, Mary becomes Jesus’ physical mother and forms his human family because she is the first member of his spiritual family.  She is the first and model disciple. 

2. Jesus from David

Now, notice, toward the beginning of this passage, Luke says that Mary is betrothed to “Joseph, of the house of David.”

And then, a few verses down, the angel says of Jesus: “The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father.”  Well, from the time of King David, 1000 years before the birth of Jesus, there were many prophecies of a savior.

These prophecies began with what we heard in the first reading.  King David wants to build a house for God – a brick and mortar temple.

God responds that he will build a house for David – a house of descendants, a genealogical house.  All the prophets who follow foretell that a savior will eventually come from this house or family of David.

So, in these verses, the gospel shows Jesus as the fulfillment of these prophecies.  And in doing this, it shows the human side of Jesus – his humanity. 

He is identified with these ancestors, beginning with David and ending with Joseph.  The humanity of Jesus is carefully established.

3. Jesus from God

Now this passage also tells us that Jesus is not just an ordinary human being. 

Notice: the angel Gabriel says to Mary: “He will be called Son of the Most High.”  And then, a verse or two later, Gabriel is even clearer to Mary: “The power of the Most High will overshadow you.”

The Book of Genesis uses the same word “overshadow” to describe the work of the Holy Spirit in the act of creation.  Then, at the end of the passage, Mary says: “May it be done to me according to your word.” 

Again the Book of Genesis uses the same word that Mary uses here – “Fiat” – “May it be done,” “Let it happen”—to describe God’s action in creating the world.  So the idea is that God is doing a new creation – something radically new with Mary. 

The angel Gabriel gets very clear on this.  “The child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.”

So this child is actually the Son of God, the very presence of God with us.  He is both human and divine.

Conclusion

Some authors say that this Annunciation story is like a gospel in miniature.

It calls us to believe in the full identity of Jesus – human and divine.  And with this belief, it calls us to 1) live the words and 2) follow the way of the Savior. 

By doing that, we will follow the example of Mary.  We will also be members of Jesus’ spiritual family, his disciples.