Posted: 12/15/2011 4:36:42 AM EDT
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December 18, 2011
First Reading: 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12, 14, 16 1 Now when the king dwelt in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies round about, 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent." 3 And Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart; for the LORD is with you." 4 But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, 5 "Go and tell my servant David, `Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 8 Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David, `Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel; 9 and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. When he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men; 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.'" Psalm: Psalm 89:2-5, 27, 29 R. (2a) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. The promises of the LORD I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness. For you have said, "My kindness is established forever"; in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness. R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: Forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations." R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. "He shall say of me, 'You are my father, my God, the Rock, my savior.' Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him, and my covenant with him stands firm." R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. Second Reading: Romans 16:25-27 25 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 26 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 –– 27 to the only wise God be glory for evermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. Gospel: Luke 1:26-38 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 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, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." 34 And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" 35 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. 36 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. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible." 38 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. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ More study resources Overview of the Gospel: • The events related in this Sunday’s Gospel reading take place nine months before the feast we are to celebrate in a few days—The Feast of the Nativity, or, Christmas. • Today’s reading marks the most important event that ever occurred, what is known as the Incarnation—the taking on of human flesh by the Second Person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ. It is known as the first Joyful Mystery of the Rosary, and is commemorated in the prayer traditionally recited three times a day, the Angelus. • That the Messiah would be born of a virgin was prophesied in the Old Testament by Isaiah (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22-23). Mary herself had been prepared by God for this moment. • Though on the surface this passage might seem to be primarily about Mary, like all Marian teachings of the Church, the emphasis is really on Jesus. Here we find out (in verses 31-33) what his name will be (a name which means “God saves”), that he will be “great” (because he is God), that he will be “Son of the Most High” (i.e. God) as well as son (descendant) of the ancient Israelite king David (thus heir to the messianic promises to the Davidic throne; cf. 2 Samuel 7:12-17), and that his kingdom will have no end. • He will also be called, in verse 33, ruler of the house of Jacob (which included all twelve tribes of Israel). At the time of Jesus, by and large, only two of the tribes (Judah and Benjamin) remained in the land, the others having been carried off into captivity in 784 B.C. The implication is that those ten tribes will be restored by drawing them from other nations. Thus Jesus’ kingdom is to be a universal one, not a national one, made up of people from every time and nation. Questions: • In what ways was the prophecy from God to David about his kingdom and his posterity (which we hear in the 1st Reading) most literally fulfilled in Jesus Christ? • How does the 2nd Reading make clear God’s salvation was fulfilled according to his own plan? • In the Gospel Reading, how does Gabriel’s announcement to Mary compare with his announcement to Zechariah (verses 13-17)? What is different in her response? • What truths about Jesus are emphasized in this passage? What expectations must have been raised in Mary (Luke 1:46-55, 69-79)? • What would it mean to doubt and fear God? When were you recently fearful, but believing? How did God meet you where you were at that time? • In what area of your life do you need to believe that “nothing will be impossible with God”? What keeps you from believing this? |
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• In what ways was the prophecy from God to David about his kingdom and his posterity (which
we hear in the 1st Reading) most literally fulfilled in Jesus Christ? Well, here David goes, thinking like a material, worldly man again. He thinks he should build God a dwelling place here on earth. Wow! A not too subtle inference here is that David is telling God: "Hey, God! Here's David's plans for you." Say what? How does that old joke go: "Want to make God laugh––tell him YOUR plans!" David has just been given victory over the Philistines and thinks about building a temple here on earth for God. This interlude of peace allows the Jews to transport the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. Little does David know that the actual building of a temple has been reserved for his own son, Solomon. God equates His presence with the ark of the covenant. The ark is the sign of Yahweh's covenant with His people and their protection against every coercive power. The ark was carried before the troops when they entered into battle. God is really telling David through his prophet Nathan that the "house" He speaks of is the Davidic dynasty of rulers over Israel. This "house" will be an everlasting kingdom, presided over by the king, the "son of David," our blessed Lord, Jesus. This oracle is the earliest statement of the belief in the eternity of the dynasty of David, and is the root of the messianic expectation of the rule of David, and his descendant, our Lord. Look at the absolute contrast here between David (telling God what David has planned for Him) and our Blessed Mother's response to God's plan––total obedience, total trust and confidence in Him. Wow! Talk about powerful women. Wish that I could hold .0001% of our Blessed Mother's faith and love. Notice again the image of a "house or dwelling for God" in David's time versus the actual "dwelling place" image of God incarnate on earth: in Mary! And what does our sweet and loving Mother say: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." This is a differential form of the word used in the Our Father: "Thy will be done." Again, our Lady always points us back to God, never to her humble self. 
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