Advent: Awaiting the Fulfilment of God's Promise

 Reflection on Today's Readings, 4th Sunday of Advent, Year B, December 20th, 2020

Texts: 2 Sam. 7:1-5.8-b-12.14.16; Ps. 89:2-5.27.29; Rom. 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38

Today's Readings underscore the point that God is faithful. In the first reading, God promised David that he would raise his offspring who would establish his kingdom for ever. He says, "I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. 'And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.'" The second reading tells us that the promise is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, when it is said, "my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed and through prophetic writings is made known to all nations". Through his prophets God revealed the promise to all peoples, races and colours. This reminds us of our role as prophets of God. By the virtue of our baptism we are all prophets; we are to disclose and make known God's faithful love to all peoples. 

The first reading shows that the promise is God's response to David's loving devotion to Him. In David, we see true devotion to God: God was always in his heart, he never forgot God. Having grown wealthy and strong as king, he desired to pour out his greatness in his devotion to God. Some of us, the more we grow in wealth and greatness, the far we go from God, in our devotion to Him. For David, the greater he became, the more devoted to things pertaining to God. Unlike Solomon whose greatness made him to go far away from God. Let us show our greatness in our devotion to God. God responded generously to the loving devotion of David towards Him. God will also do the same to us if we pour out our greatness in our devotions to him. God made the promise to David and he kept it because he is a faithful God. Hence, we are reminded by St. Paul, in the second reading, that the gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ is about how God fulfilled the promise he made long ago. 

Today's gospel reading tells us how God fulfilled the promise made to David by the birth of Jesus Christ. It is said of Jesus Christ thus: "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." Those words emphasize the fulfilment of God's promise to David: "I will be his father, and he will be my son. ....; your throne shall be established for ever."

The gospel reading also gives Mary as an example of obedience of faith. Mary expressed obedience of faith when she said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." Those words of Mary express her confidence and trust in God's faithfulness; He will always fulfill what He has said. In David too, we also see an exercise of obedience of faith. His desire to build a dwelling place for God is an exercise of his faith in God. To say that God is faithful is to affirms that God is worthy of trust and that He is dependable. The revelation of God's faithfulness is a call to obedience of faith. God always keep his words, that we may obey Him in faith.

Lord our God, we thank you for who you are to us, a faithful God, by your grace, may we obey you in faith. Amen.

Rev. Fr. Andrew Olowomuke