26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" 29But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. 30And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32He 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, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." 34And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" 35And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 36And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37For with God nothing will be impossible." 38And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
We had this same reading (from Luke) on December 12th. But I won’t look at my response on the 12th. I will see if today elicits something different from me. What struck me today was “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, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." Jesus is announced as the “son of the Most High” and not God made man. Jesus is only proclaimed as God in John, the final of the 4 gospels written 70 years later. John has tese three direct connections between Jesus and God.
ReplyDeleteJohn 1:1-14: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." This passage directly identifies Jesus as God incarnate.
John 10:30: "I and the Father are one."
John 20:28: Thomas declares to the risen Jesus, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus accepts this statement, affirming His divinity.
The closest the other four Gospels come to this proclamation are the following:
Matthew 1:23: In the account of Jesus' birth, Matthew quotes Isaiah 7:14, stating, "They shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us)." This links Jesus' identity to God being present among His people.
Mark 2:5-12: Jesus forgives sins, which leads the scribes to question, "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" Jesus demonstrates His authority by healing a paralytic, implying that He has divine authority.
Luke 5:21: Like Mark, Luke shows Jesus forgiving sins, which was understood as a prerogative of God alone.
Matthew 28:18-20: After His resurrection, Jesus declares, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me," a claim to universal divine authority.
Im my mind, none of these directly say Jesus = God. Jesus is divine no doubt. At the risk of sounding heretical, I wonder if each of us has a divine element? Each of us is made in the image of God. Perhaps the divine element is that which lives on once the human element becomes dust? The divine element is what makes us part of the Communion of Saints. It’s what gives us the power to forgive the sins others do to us. My mother and father have both passed. Is it not possible they both live on as their divine element is returned to the God Head from where it came originally?
The passage also announces Jesus as the end of a legacy. “He will reign over the house of Jacob forever”. That means there is no one more important than Jesus yet to come. He unlocked this secret of God who dwells in each of us. He showed us what that can mean. You can heal the sick, you can make the blind see, the deaf hear, and the paralysed to walk. You can make the unclean clean.
Finally, what struck me was Mary. She is the literal embodiment of God in her… And she accepts that responsibility unwaveringly. “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” I always feel nothing but strength in Mary’s submission. It is certainly not an act of weakness. It shows submission as the ultimate act of strength. It is what we draw upon in every act of sacrifice and in every act of love.
Your response to Luke 1:26-38 is thoughtful and rich with spiritual exploration. Let me reflect on your observations and add some insights.
Delete1. Jesus as “Son of the Most High” and the Question of Divinity
You astutely note that Jesus is called the “Son of the Most High” here and that explicit declarations of His divinity are more prominent in John’s Gospel. Your distinction between divine titles and outright equivalence to God is valid. However, the Synoptic Gospels often express Jesus' divine nature indirectly, through actions, titles, and fulfillments of prophecy. For example:
Titles like "Son of God" carry a divine weight in Jewish thought, especially as used for Jesus.
Actions like forgiving sins (Mark 2:5-12) and controlling nature (calming storms, walking on water) point to divine authority.
The angel's announcement in this passage declares Jesus' eternal kingship, a role tied to the Messiah who is more than just a human ruler.
Your musing about the divine element in all of us is deeply reflective. The idea that humans bear a "divine spark" is consistent with being made in God's image (Genesis 1:27). However, the Church traditionally distinguishes Jesus' divinity as unique—He is fully God and fully man, not merely a human with a divine aspect. This union (hypostatic union) makes Him singular as the Savior. Your reflection raises a profound point: by living in communion with God, we too can reflect divine qualities, like forgiveness and love.
2. Eternal Reign Over the House of Jacob
The announcement of Jesus' reign over the house of Jacob forever highlights His fulfillment of messianic prophecies, particularly those pointing to an eternal king from David's line (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Your observation that Jesus ends the legacy is insightful; He completes the story rather than continues it. His reign transcends time and space, not confined to earthly realms. His legacy, instead of being genealogical, becomes spiritual, transforming the relationship between humanity and God.
... Continued
3. Mary’s Submission as Strength
DeleteYour appreciation for Mary’s strength in submission is beautiful. Submission in the modern world often carries connotations of weakness or oppression, but Mary's act is profoundly courageous. She accepts a calling that would upend her life, expose her to misunderstanding and scandal, and lead her to the foot of the Cross. Her “yes” is an act of trust, love, and strength—mirroring the submission of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Your connection between submission and love is powerful. True love often requires sacrifice and humility, and Mary embodies this in a way that inspires us all. Submission, as you note, is not about passivity but active trust and alignment with God's will.
4. Divinity and the Power to Transform
Your reflection on Jesus unlocking the divine potential in each of us is compelling. While traditional theology holds that miracles like healing and raising the dead are unique signs of Jesus' divine authority, it also teaches that we are called to share in His mission. Through the Holy Spirit, believers are empowered to carry on His work—healing, forgiving, and bringing God’s presence into the world.
Your thought about your parents’ "divine element" continuing is tender and resonates with Catholic teaching on the communion of saints. While we affirm that the soul is eternal and returns to God, your poetic description of their divine element being "returned to the Godhead" captures the mystery of eternal life in God.
Final Thoughts
Your reflection encapsulates the profound mystery of this passage. It draws together themes of divinity, legacy, submission, and transformation. The Gospel story indeed challenges our cultural obsession with self-actualization and autonomy. Instead, it calls us to find freedom in submission to God's will, as exemplified by Mary, Joseph, and ultimately Jesus Himself.
Your final observation—that love and sacrifice are rooted in submission—echoes the heart of Christian discipleship. Mary’s "yes" becomes the model for all believers, showing that true strength lies in surrender to a higher purpose.
Thank you for sharing this. It is deeply moving and thought-provoking