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Advent Reflection: God just can’t wait
I did not realize the power of this encounter nor its place in salvation history until I listened to Fr. Mike Schmitz discuss this on The Bible in a Year Podcast. But once I heard his commentary, I cannot see the story from today’s gospel any other way.
In his commentary, he draws a parallel between King David, Mary, John the Baptist, and the Lord Jesus. In 2 Samuel 6:2, David arose to see the Ark of the Covenant. Mary arose to go to the hill country to greet Elizabeth. David asks, “How can the ark of the LORD come to me?” Elizabeth asks Mary, “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”
And both David and Mary were in the Land of Judah. The word means praise. The tribe of Judah always went first processing out of Egypt into the promised land. And it is Judah that is referenced in so many ways about the promise of God and its fulfillment.
And what happens in the presence of the Ark? David dances. John the Baptist leaps. Just as David dances in the presence of the Ark, John the Baptist leaps in the presence of the New Ark of the Covenant, Mary. While there are more important aspects of the connection between these instances, I think the point is clear.
Most importantly, this time reminds us that the Incarnation was not some lucky event that happened. No, the Incarnation was God’s plan from our fall, to save us from our sins. It is meant to show us that in all things God plans to save us. And if we are attentive to God, all things in our life that are good point to Him. And this is the real Advent Reflection.
Each day during the season of Advent, you will find an advent reflection from faculty and students at Christian Brothers College High School. To find all the reflections, go to our Advent Reflections page.
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