We often see how history repeats itself. Recently was listening to a commentary about Syria and one commentator ironically said we’ve been here before with Kosovo, Rwanda, Srebrenica. Cambodia. Today some people would say that time is meaningless, things just come and go without any rhyme, or reason, or purpose, history is just one event after another. The biblical notion of this is different, the biblical notion tells us that life has a purpose and is heading somewhere. History is like a story being told by a great author. Our advent season comes to a climax today the whole sense of this season is that all comes to fulfilment in the coming of the Messiah. All three readings today make this point.
Out First reading is taken from the 7th Chapter of the Prophet Isaiah. Ahaz, a young King has come to a challenging time is his reign. It was suggested that he ask the lord for a sign and he said I will not ask the Lord our God for a sign. Ahaz has lost faith in God and said I will not put the Lord to the test. Ahaz is like many people today who refuse to believe that God is in charge. The Prophet Isaiah repsonds saying that the Lord himslef will give you a sign, we may give up on the Lord but he will never give up on us. To understand this sign we have to go back before Ahaz to King David. God promised David that the would put a descendant of David on the throne that would last forever and even in their bleakest times the chosen people remembered this promise of God. This promise is repeated to Ahaz. In your darkest moments don’t give up on the Lord because he will never give up on you.
Now we go forward 700 years and look at our gospel today: “an angel….her”. St. Matthew is reminding us what God said to Ahaz seven centuries earlier. The child born to Mary is the one that was promised to David and to Ahaz. He is the long awaited Messiah and he will draw all history to himself. Jesus is much more than a teacher or an inspirational leader, his importance is much more, he is the one in whom all history is recapitulated.
Finally we look at the second reading: the introduction of Paul’s letter to the community in Rome. He begins by saying I Paul slave of Jesus Christ of the true anointed one. Through him we receive the grace of apostleship. Paul’s mission was to bring the whole world under Christ’s kingship. History does have a purpose; this God that was promised to David, Ahaz to Paul is now promised to us. All of us Christians have the same mission as David. What Ahaz didn’t dare to ask has come true and we have the privilege of announcing it to the whole world.