Breaking the Word

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.  Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."  But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?"  And the angel said to her in reply, "The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word."  (Lk 1:26-38)

Mary is presented as a historical person. Her human context is given first. She is from Nazareth in Galilee; she was a virgin but betrothed to a man named Joseph; she was from the house of David and it was the sixth month. She is presented with geographical, social, chronological and family context. It will, in way be difficult for anyone to find out her situation.

In the second place she is given the divine context. She is the favoured one and God was with her. So she had nothing to fear. The Holy Spirit also will come upon her and the power of the most high will overshadow her. So she is totally on divine context.

The result of these contexts: she becomes the mother of Jesus. He is the son of God and he will also sit on the throne of David. Again, an interplay of both divine and human contexts. Yes Jesus is both son of god and son of man. Mary’s FIAT has made this interplay possible.

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.  She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means "God is with us." When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus. (Mt 1:18-25)

Early church wrestled with the problem of humanity/divinity of Jesus. Genealogy proved to the readers that Jesus was of human origin and he was a historical person.  Today’s reading presents to us that Jesus is of divine origin (through the Holy Spirit) and this is revealed to Joseph. Yes the society would have accepted the human origin of Jesus and it is Joseph who will have to accept this truth. It is rightly so that Joseph gets a divine revelation.

Joseph is asked to be a silent and a passive participant in the divine plan. God’s plans are not always understandable for the human mind. God’s plans are perceived in natural events but sometimes God reveals his plan in dreams and visions. Joseph was a just man. He did not want to disturb anyone. He did not pass any judgement on the other. A just man will not pass any judgement on the other because he does not know the situation fully. (Every situation has got both human and divine factors)

Birth of Jesus is for a mission. It is revealed in the name of the child. He is called Jesus because he is called to be the saviour of the people and he is also called Immanuel because he is going to reveal God through his presence or in his life. His life will a life of God among the people and this living for the salvation of the people.