Daily Reflections for the Misa De Gallo (Part II)
Daily Reflections for the Misa de Gallo (in Preparation for the celebration of the Birth of Christ)
December 16 - 24, 2005
PART 2: December 19-21
December 19, 2005 The Fourth Day of Misa De Gallo (B) - White
GOD’S ORDINARY ACTS BRING FORTH EXTRAORDINARY WORKS
First Reading: Judges 13:2-7,24-25a
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 71 - "Fill me with your praise, and I will sing your glory!"
O Antiphon: O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: come to save us without delay!
Gospel: Luke 1:5-25
"So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others."
People chosen by God for a special mission in his plan of salvation are constantly presented in the Bible as chosen and loved before birth, with their birth announced in a special way; they are moved by the Spirit of God; their mission demands sacrifices. Witness the call of Samson in his folkloric saga, or that of John the Baptist. The silence of Zechariah comes probably from the joy of an overwhelming message, too great to be put into words.
Now we move back further in time to the announcement of John’s birth to Zechariah in the temple. This child too will be heralded by an angel for he is a prophet who will be great in the eyes of the Lord and bring joy and gladness to the people who wait on God. He will open the way for the Spirit to come-a midwife in the realm of the repentant heart! In Israel’s history there is a tradition of angels’ and extraordinary tidings of children that are born out of time, for God’s work that belong to God and the people not their parents. Who do we belong to? What work does God hope that we will do for the people in our world?
Underlying these vocation stories is that people are weak, that salvation is gratuitously given by God, that barrenness (the barren women) gives way to fertility, that sacrifices are demanded. And so, people are to be moved by the Spirit of God. All this holds true also for us as we are called to prepare the way of the Lord.
December 20, 2005 The Fifth Day of Misa De Gallo (B) - White
GOD’S CREATIVE TOUCH
First Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 24 - "Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory."
O Antiphon: O Key of David. opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness!
Gospel: Luke 1:26-38
Virgin betrothed—In contrast with the annunciation of the Precursor to Zechariah, an old priest with a barren wife, the birth of the Messiah is announced to Mary, a “virgin” (Greek parthenos). “Virgin” refers to a young unmarried woman, one who has not yet experienced sexual intercourse (in Israel, an unmarried woman was expected to be a virgin).
There is something of an equivocal attitude to virginity in Israel. On the one hand, it is something to be prized, indicating purity and newness. On the other hand, it is also seen as a shame or sadness, indicating incompleteness. Has Mary committed herself to a lifetime of virginity? The fact that she is betrothed to Joseph implies that she looks forward to being a normal wife. That she is a virgin means that she has not yet been taken to Joseph’s home where she would have marital relations with him. That comes with the second part of the marriage ceremony, which is a year after the betrothal. It would seem that up to the time of the annunciation, Mary is not aware of being singularly blessed by God.
Luke’s annunciation is intended to explain the “Who” and “How” of the Messiah. Jesus as Messiah is both “Son of David” and “Son of God” (see also Rom 1:3). He is a “Son of David” because of Joseph who legally claims him as his son. But he is also “Son of the Most High” because instead of being born through a male agency, he is conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit. The impossibility of conceiving without Mary’s “having relations with a man” is overcome by the creative action of God.
December 21, 2005 The Sixth Day of Misa De Gallo (B) - White
MARY’S GREETING OF PEACE
First Reading: Song of Songs 2:8-14
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33 - "Cry out with joy in the Lord, you holy ones; sing a new song to him."
O Antiphon: O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God!
Gospel: Luke 1:39-45
"Most blessed are you among women"
The Good News of her child to be born puts Mary in mortal danger and she flees to the hill country and shelter with Elizabeth who is also in an unusual predicament: pregnant unexpectedly in her old age. The two are kindred spirits in hope, wonder and awe knowing that their children will change not only their lives drastically but the lives of their nation and history. They recognize each other and Elizabeth’s John recognizes the voice that called him into existence in the Spirit in Mary’s greeting of Shalom. It is all about peace-peace come to earth in flesh and blood. Peace that is the presence of God reconciling all the earth and her children. Peace meeting the truth and blessings fall like rain upon the earth. Are we this presence of peace?
