And the Lord Will Give Him the Throne of David, His Father

12-21-2023Weekly ReflectionFr. Manasseh Iorchir, VC

We have arrived at the Fourth Sunday of Advent, the last weekend before Christmas. We have been preparing for the coming of our Saviour and the Readings for this weekend answer the question about who He is. Jesus of Nazareth is the fulfillment of the covenant promises made by God to King David of old. God had promised to confer permanent duration to the reign of David’s house over Israel, but when David’s princely descendants failed to rule over Israel with justice in accordance with Divine will, God elected to rule over Israel Himself. This Divine rulership was achieved when Jesus took flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary and was born in the house of Joseph, His foster father, a descendant of King David.

The First Reading recounts the making of the covenant promise to David and his dynasty. David had decided to build a house of worship for the Lord and called in Nathan, the prophet of God, to inform him. When Nathan heard from God, he returned to David with a litany of promises from God, the most profound being, “your house and your Kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.” For having God at the center of his life to the extent that he desired to build a place of encounter between God and His people, David was promised an everlasting Kingdom that would have one of his descendants rule over Israel forever. God would build David’s house (dynasty), and David’s house (dynasty) would build the house of God (first the Temple and in its fullest expression the Church, the Assembly of God’s people where God’s will reigns supreme). Thus, the House of David and the house of God, through Divine providence and wisdom, are going to become one reality. This covenant promise is reiterated in the Responsorial Psalm where God states, “I have made a covenant with David my servant, forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations.” David’s dynasty shall refer to God as “my Father, my God.”

The Gospel passage for the Fourth Sunday of Advent is actually the account of the Annunciation, but it makes it abundantly clear that Jesus, the Son of God who is to take flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary, is the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant promise. In this passage, the Angel Gabriel informs Mary (who was espoused to Joseph “of the house of David” that the Son whom she would be privileged to conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit) “will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord will give Him the throne of David, His father... And of His kingdom there will be no end.” This was achieved by God through the hypostatic union, the perfect union of Christ’s humanity (Son of David) and Divinity (Son of God) in one individual personhood.

Mary’s positive response to God’s invitation to her, to be part of God’s plan for our salvation in spite of the apparent unpleasant consequences, provides the lesson for our reflection this final weekend of Advent. Like Mary, God invites us constantly to allow “His Son” to take flesh in our lives, to let Him build his kingdom in our hearts, our families, and in our lives. We should never allow fear to prevent us from responding promptly and positively to this Divine Invitation.

May we always say “yes” to God by allowing Him to use us to do much good in the world, and may Christ, the Word of God, find in our lives the prepared place to take flesh again and bring all people into the Household of God.

Please be kind and may God bless you.

Fr. Manasseh