Fourth Sunday of Advent Year C 19th December 2021
Lectionary Readings: Micah 5 v2-5a; Hebrews 10 v5-10; Luke 1 v39-45 (46-55).
An invitation to make a connection.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, her baby moved within her. The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth. (Luke 1 v41).
Why has Luke mentioned the Holy Spirit in this context? What connection was he inviting us to make? Was it simply to explain the extraordinary statement that followed?
Then in a loud voice she said to Mary: God has blessed you more than any other woman! He has also blessed the child you will have. Why should the mother of my Lord come to me? (v42,43).
Luke tells us in the introduction to his gospel that ‘he has made a careful study of everything relating to what God has done among us’. (v1,3). I assume that Luke talked to Mary and possibly Elizabeth about these events. Who else could have told him of what was said at that meeting?
Is Luke recording history or is he setting the scene for the gospel that follows?
Luke’s reference to the Holy Spirit seems to me to suggest that Luke views the events surrounding the birth of Jesus as a part of God’s plan for our salvation and wants us to understand that God’s hand was upon Jesus from the start.
Luke invites us to interpret Elizabeth’s baby moving, as John within her womb, recognising the presence of Jesus, as Lord, in Mary’s womb. The Holy Spirit then prompts Elizabeth into making a statement of theological significance.
Luke follows this with ‘the Magnificat’ ‘Mary’s song of praise’ which echoes the words attributed to Hannah, the mother of Samuel. (Compare Luke 1 v 46-55 and I Samuel 2 v1-10). A song that the Christian church has cherished ever since. Luke invites us to connect these two very special births and to see them as strands of God’s plan for us.
Can you see the connection that Luke then invites us to make? To see ourselves as a part of God’s evolving plan to bring about humankind’s reconciliation with our loving heavenly father. To recognise that the same Holy Spirit, present at the time of Jesus’ birth is still at work today, in us.
Hymn writer Mark Earey, speaks of Mary’s gift and of God’s gift to us in his advent hymn:
(Singing the Faith No 165, v4,5).
Advent 4
Mary’s gift, beyond all telling, was to give Christ room.
She gave God a human dwelling in a mother’s womb.
Who could guess the final story? – cross and glory; empty tomb.
Christmas Day
Advent candles tell their story on this Christmas Day.
Those who waited for God’s glory; they prepared the way.
Christ is with us; loving, giving, in us living, here today!
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version.