Sunday Gospel Comment
Alberic Jacovone OSB
YEAR B FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT - 18.12.05 2 Sam 7,1-5.8-12.14.16; Rom 16,25-27; Lk 1,26-38 Con-templ-ating Jesus’ ‘conception’ The
Angel said: you will conceive. Today’s story is from Luke: it pin-points the momentous event when
Mary ‘conceived in her womb (flesh) the very Son of God - & she conceived
Him of the Holy Spirit’. In the Creed today, we bow & proclaim: ‘The
Word was made flesh’. Today, we are invited to ‘com-templ-ate’ (a
word which means: reflect in God’s temple) on the wonder of God’s conception
as a human being: his incarnation. How could &
why would God the creator choose to be born as one of us, insignificant
& ungrateful humans as we are?... I
find it puzzling that some authors talk about today’s story, without offering
an opportunity to ponder on the wonder of Christ’s conception &
incarnation. They seem satisfied to highlight the ‘yes’ of Mary, (a
‘yes’ to which, she may not have understood, what was being asked of her at
the time!), - & then they conclude that her ‘yes’ actually brought the
redeemer among us. They also say that Mary is our model of discipleship, &
as a result, each of us is called to say ‘yes’ to God, to enable God to live
within us. Well, there is a lot more to say about today’s gospel, as we
reflect on the moment when Jesus was conceived, fully God & fully human.
Difficult as it may be to reflect on the mystery of Jesus’ conception, saints,
artists & writers have,. from the earliest centuries, beautifully &
reverently expressed wonder & astonishment at this humanly-impossible &
yet wonderful event: God’s conception & incarnation as a human being. Yes,
at the Annunciation, Jesus was conceived fully God & fully man, & Mary
is Mother of God & Begetter of God (in Latin, Dei Genitrix, in Greek: Theo-tokos).
The earliest Ecumenical Councils proclaimed this central Christian
belief & after that, many men & women gave their talents to ‘con-templ-ate’
this wondrous event: God has truly come & dwelt as one of us, has truly
ennobled our humanity beyond all dreams. How
to contemplate on the Incarnation. The prayer, called ‘The Angelus’ comes from the first Latin words of
today’s Gospel: ‘Angelus Domini’, meaning ‘the Angel of the Lord’.
It’s a very ancient prayer. It goes back to Pope Urban II in 1095 at the time
of the Crusaders. It has inspired great artists (see the sketch of the
masterpiece by Jean-Francois Millet which is at the Louvre -Paris- & is
called ‘Angelus Domini’. Many generations of people have prayed devoutly in
the past, & still do today, this beautiful prayer, pondering on the wonder
of Christ’s conception. This ancient prayer is made up of 3 short verses with
one Hail Mary at the end of each verse; then there is a final verse & a
final prayer. As a painter, Millet is recognized as the poet of the
country-side, as he depicts good, simple people, at work in the fields. His
masterpiece (‘Angelus Domini’) recalls the practice of his time (1814-1875),
when country people offered their devout prayer in the fields, three times a
day: morning, noon & evening, reciting the ‘Angelus’ & gratefully
reflecting on the Lord’s Incarnation... You
too, can contemplate, praying the ‘Angelus’ We monks pray it 3 times a
day. Join us. Pray it with us again & again. Here is the text: The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary - And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. (Hail Mary...) Behold the handmaid of the Lord - Be it done unto me according to your word. (Hail Mary...) And the Word was made flesh - And dwelt amongst us. (Hail Mary...)
Pray
for us, o Holy Mother of God - That we may be made worthy of the promises of
Christ. Let
us pray:
Pour fourth we beseech you o Lord,
your grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son,
was made known by the message of an angel, may by his passion & cross, be
brought to the glory of his resurrection. Through Christ our Lord. Amen
Pray & contemplate. ______________________________________ |
