Friday 01 January 2010

Background

When the baby Jesus is born, shepherds keeping watch over theirflocks in the fields are told about his birth by an angel of theLord. The angel tells the stunned and frightened shepherds not tobe afraid because his news is good news. "To you is born this dayin the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord," saysthe angel. "This will be a sign for you: you will find a childwrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger" (Luke2:11-12).

Following the departure of the angels, the shepherds hurry toBethlehem and find Mary and Joseph looking over their son, Jesus,lying in a manger. They tell Mary and Joseph and those who are withthem what they had been told by the angel. Everyone is stunned bythe shepherds' news except Mary, who has already been visited bythe angel Gabriel who told her that her son would be holy, and thatthe Lord God would give him the throne of his ancestor, David (Luke1:30-35). She has also been told by the angel what her son'sname would be before he was conceived in her womb.

When Mary ponders the shepherds' words, she is probably rememberingthe visit from the angel Gabriel. The shepherds' words are preciousto her because they affirm what she has already been told. Shetreasures their meaning just as she treasured Jesus inside her.

To Ponder

When words accrue different levels of meaning,does that make them more precious or more divisive? Can you thinkof instances where they have been both?

What do you understand by the sentence: Jesus islove incarnate?