We are on the last Sunday as
well as a day before Christmas this year. As we are almost into the festivity of
Christmas the readings of this Sunday invite us to focus on King David and Mother
Mary. The desire of King David had significant role in the birth of God as
human person in his lineage. In the first reading we see the desire of David to
build a well-furnished house for God to reside in his city. David sees his condition
of pomp and glory as gift from God and to honour God in thanksgiving, David
desires to build a house for God in his city. In ancient world kings build temples
near their palace, so that they feel the closeness of God as well as try to
control God. In the case of YHWH, it is God who controls kings. It is God who appoints
kings and rulers over His people. Therefore, He can neither be controlled nor
confined to some particular places by humans. King David desires to give best place
for God to reside in his kingdom. On the contrary, God chooses David and his lineage
as the best place to pitch his tent – Emmanuel. The desire of David to build a
house for God gains the grace of God, who promises to make the house of David
as His permanent house. For He says: “the Lord will make you a house” (1 Sam 7:11).
Thanksgiving effects more grace! God says that human king – David – cannot
limit Him into any human made temples, rather He chooses to reside in the temple
of His creation – human being. Yes, among all creatures human being is a conscious
person, who is aware of his created nature. S/He is the glory and honour of
entire creation. In this perspective, the inner most self of the human person -
the sanctuary of human person – could be the greatest, the highest and the best
place for God to make His dwelling.
In the Gospel too, the scene
of the annunciation is introduced by associating Mary with the family of David
through St. Joseph. The prophecy of Nathan about the Son of David had both
proximity and remoteness. Solomon is the fulfilment of the prophecy in
proximity, whereas Jesus, the Son of God is the fulfilment of the prophecy in
remoteness. King Solomon builds physical temple for God of Israel to make His dwelling
among His people. Jesus, the Son of God in/through/by His very being builds the
temple of God among his creation. Mother Mary is the first temple in whom God
makes His first physical dwelling. She is the first one to receive the salvation
of God which St. Pauls says in the second reading as revelation kept hidden for
ages but disclosed in God’s time through His Son Jesus (Rom 16:25-26). The meaning
of name Gabriel is heroic act of God,
Mary is the general name for human
condition and Jesus means God saves.
If we connect all these three names, we grasp what is going on in the annunciation
scene: by the heroic act of God in human
condition God saves us. Yes indeed God saves us in our human condition. He
perfects our nature through His dwelling among us.
For Christmas we build cribs
in our churches and houses. To us God says the very same thing He told to
David: I will make you a house. Our building of cribs and our desires surrounding
this festive season are almost equal to King David’s desire to keep God close
to oneself. This effort of ours could possible effect the grace of God to build
His crib in our very self – in our inner most self. So, allow God to build His
crib in your inner most self which is a sacred place, accessible only to you
and to your God. Mother Mary through her YES, allowed God to pitch His tent in
Her womb and in her house thereafter. St. Joseph through his obedience to the
will of God allowed God to reside in His house. We too through our submission
to the will of God and obedience to the Commandments allow God to dwell in us. For
“Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him, and we will
come to him and make our dwelling with him” (Jn 14:23). Wishing you all a desirous
Christmas this year. God bless!
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