Jesse Tree December 16
Here is the angel Gabriel, from heaven sent to Mary to tell her that she is most highly favored and will give birth to a Son and name Him Jesus. With this symbol, we turn from the Old Testament and the tracing of the ancestry of Jesus to the fulfilment of what was promised of old. Yesterday we heard Isaiah prophecy that a virgin will bear The Seed. Today we fast forward 700 years to the announcement of Gabriel that Mary's Son is the One for whom we have been waiting.
After Gabriel calms the troubled Mary with the words "Do not be afraid" her response is "I am the Lord's servant, May it be to me as you have said." What a faithful answer to a very awe-filled event. When Mary later sings her song magnifying the Lord, she also acknowledges that God is her Savior -- even this faithful woman who accepts this miracle happening within her, realizes that she too needs a Savior. So may it be for us as we contemplate what happens to and for us this Advent! We too recognize that the Savior is OUR Savior. He comes to redeem me, a lost and condemned creature.
Jesus! Name of wondrous love, Name all other names above
Unto which must every knee Bow in deep humility.
Jesus! Name decreed of old, To the maiden mother told--
Kneeling in her lowly cell -- By the angel Gabriel.
posted by Presbytera @ 8:02 PM
1 Comments:
At 11:07 PM,
chaplain7904 said…
There must be a reason that the phrase "fear not" (aka: don't be afraid) appears over 60 times in Scripture. For example:
Joel 2:21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.
Jeremiah 46:27 But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed... (this last part is especially comforting to parents)
Genesis 15:1 Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
Deut 1:21 fear not, neither be discouraged.
Isaiah 43:1 O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
Matthew 28:5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
Revelation 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
Why does God comfort us so many times with these words? Because there's a lot to fear in this world. But as St. John writes, (1 John 4:18) "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment."
Yes it does. But God's love for us in Christ is perfect. There is no manipulation in it; no thought of self or of any gain. It is pure and has only the blessing of it's object (sinners) in mind.
And so it is. Amen, Amen it shall be so.
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