4th Sunday of Advent - B (December 18, 2011)

Commentary
Luke 1: 26 - 38

A Long Plan

The event of the Annunciation can sometimes appear simple, even mundane. A private event happened to a simple young woman, in an insignificant town of a territory occupied by foreign forces. There were no red carpets, drum rolls or floats.

It is important that believers recognize how incredible God's way is. It is beyond human imagination and standards that God favors and chooses one of God's lowly servants. In fact, that is a part of God's mysterious design.

And often times, the focus is on how a simple woman of faith, out of obedience to God's will, changed the course of human history.

All of that is true.

Yet, we should not allow the apparent simplicity of the event of the Annunciation lead us to think that God ever takes things lightly.

"Nothing will be impossible for God" means God can do anything in whatever way. Yet, this almighty God actually has a plan for the salvation of the human race. In fact, it is was long plan in the making.

Just the references to Jacob and David, two of Jesus' ancestors can give us a hint of how far back God's plan goes. David, whose throne will be given to Jesus, was the king of Israel about 1,000 years before the time of the Annunciation. The dates and the person of the patriarch Jacob were harder to pinpoint. Nevertheless, the Jewish people became aware of their identity of God's chosen people as the house of Jacob went back hundreds of years before David.

So, just on the human level, it was thousands of years of preparation for this moment of fulfillment in God's plan for our salvation. And again, this is the God for whom nothing is impossible.

God does not take our salvation lightly.

How should I take my salvation?