Fourth Sunday of Advent - December 24, 2023

12-24-2023Weekly ReflectionFr. Timothy Eck

What a dramatic opening to the Gospel of Matthew, and a dramatic setting of Christ’s birth. And yes, we did hear the same Gospel. And yes, I am talking about the genealogy. But what makes a list of names so dramatic? The genealogy here acts like a narrator at the beginning of a play. It sets the stage, and both introduces the main character who will be the center of the performance and places the drama within a specific historical setting. Particularly this drama is set as the culmination of a history which finds its climax within this show, which will unfold starting in our first act and culminating in the Paschal Mystery of the Triduum.

Let us look once more at our three genealogical cycles as they build to this night. In the first cycle of fourteen we begin with Abraham, to whom God promised land, descendants, and that he would be a blessing to the nations. This cycle ended with King David, in whom we find the fulfillment on a natural level of two of these three promises: land and descendants; for it is with the reign of King David that the people are made secure in the land. At this stage God has yet to fulfill the final promise that all nations will be blessed through Abraham. David desired to build the temple, which would provide for an avenue to realize that last promise, but God stopped him.

The second cycle of fourteen then begins with David and ends with the last king, Jechoniah, who was sent into exile. David’s son, Solomon, built the temple, paving the way for the fulfillment of the final promise, and yet everything went wrong. The people of Israel betrayed the Lord’s covenant and worshiped other gods. And so they were sent into exile and lost their other two promises. We close with the failure of the people and the fear that God has forsaken them. Their one shot has been lost and they are in ruin. Close curtains, fade to black.

Into this anguish, this resounding failure, comes the third cycle in the fourteen. The people of Israel know not how they will be restored. They know not who the rightful king is. The prophets come to them and speak words of comfort, and hope; the Lord will marvelously restore them. He will raise up the one, true, and eternal king. He will restore them to their original purity as Isaiah proclaimed. But how? And so we move through the lineage of the third cycle, and we come to a terminus, to a singular man, “Jesus who is called the Christ,” or the anointed one, as David his forefather was anointed king.

Here at last, the promised one, son of David and Abraham. He, who will restore the people and fulfill the promises, has arrived! The long–expected one! The one whom prophets and patriarchs longed to see! The fulfillment of God’s plan of reconciliation of all creation has at least entered its culmination. And the narrator’s voice falls silent as the lights dim.

Then gently, the curtains pull back and the soft glow of light shines forth upon the stage. With expectant eyes and hearts we now enter into the first act of this crescendo of God’s salvation. And what do we find? Lowly and humble parents. A confusion over paternity. Who is this child? From whence did he come? An angel appears to Joseph and says that this child is divine. This night a child is born unto us. A child lowly and meek. A son conceived of God and not of man. God did not despise our humanity, but instead embraced it. He saw our infirmity and so himself took upon himself our flesh so as to make us whole from within.

Tonight the king is born who takes on all of humanity and in doing so makes us into his royal diadem and crown as we heard in Isaiah. Not only is God among us, but God also raises us up at his birth. This infant will restore us to our youthful purity. An impossible task for us, but one made actual by Christ. No longer must we fear being cast off or rejected, for God has united our very being to his very self. Jesus in his birth has sealed an eternal and unbreakable covenant, a union between himself and all humanity. This infant will bless all nations, and in doing so bring all lands and people beneath him. He who is the son of Abraham, in his humanity, unites all humanity, perfectly fulfilling God’s promises to Abraham.

Let us rejoice and be glad this night, for our God is truly with us. He has heard our cries and has come to us. He has come as an infant, not in blazing wrath, but humble and approachable. Come, let us adore him for he has made us a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that we may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once we were no people but now we are God’s people; once we had not received mercy but now we have received mercy. (1 Pe 2:9–10) Come in praise and thanksgiving for God’s goodness to us, that he has been faithful to us. Let our hearts and mouths give glory on high with the angelic hosts, for Emmanuel has arrived, for God is truly with us.