God’s word is filled with wonder, awe — and even romance
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Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.
By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor
A reflection on the daily readings, for Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent, by Father Perry.
“O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law.”
At the beginning of the Mass, usually a song would be sung as the priest approaches the altar.
However, if a song is not sung for any reason whatsoever, the liturgy provides for a verse or antiphon to be read.
It is kind of like a short biblical passage that attempts to set a theme or context for the Mass.
Few use it, even though it is part of the Roman Missal.
But in Advent there is a special set of them called the “O antiphons” that name different titles for the Messiah: “O Wisdom,” “O Lord,” “O Root of Jesse,” “O Key of David,” O “Emmanuel‘ — God is with us!
+ Well, today is “O Emmanuel,” and as we heard last Sunday, this title bears such intensity, to say the least.
Imagine being named or perceived or known as: “God is with us.”
The responsibility to bear such a name or title — and what’s more, imagine the power and grace that would flow from such a recognition.
No wonder that the word of God is filled with such wonder and awe — and even, one might say, almost romance.
Yes! The language today is the language of lovers. God’s attraction to his people is undeniably sensuous and even sexual, but not in a lustful way; rather, in the true language of true loves in love: “My lover speaks; he says to me, ‘Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one, and come!'”
Such tenderness! Such lovingness! That in the beautiful Song of Songs!
+ And in the optional Zephaniah passage, there is forgiveness and reconciliation, and a return and a new acceptance and a proclamation of gladness and love. No more misfortune or fear. Gladness and joy abound!
Sounds almost like grace and blessing, and certainly this is true of Emmanuel — God is with us!
Then, to top it all off,we have this famous Lucan recognition scene.
There is none like it in the Bible in its wonder and innocent beauty and almost magic quality.
Imagine what is spoken between Mary and Elizabeth.
It is not just that they (the two women) have recognized one another, but the children in their womb have done the same.
John leaps for joy in his mommies’ womb because John recognizes Jesus.
Is it even possible? Does it really make sense?
Well, it does in biblical language and storytelling; it makes perfect biblical sense and is wonderful, indeed.
We cannot even just refer to it; we must tell it like the Bible tells it: “For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.”
Wow! And Wow! And finally… Wow!
Is it much different than the lover, like a gazelle or young stag, leaping across the mountains and leaping across the hills in a mad and crazy rush to meet his lover?
Sounds pretty much the same!
OK. Now the punchline, the grit, the rubber that hits the road, the moment of truth!
Does not God love us all like this?
Is God our lover? Is God always there, or not? Does God love and rescue us even from ourselves? Even from our sin? Even from our rejection of him ?
Does it take a Song of Songs to wiggle into our relationship with God to become so real that we know — we really know — that we are loved always and everywhere?
We definitely need an Elizabeth to help us to recognize that Jesus the Lord is in our midst — is in us — is bringing salvation and life and love to and for us, today, now, always, and forever!
Can we take it? Can we appreciate it? Can we just say “thanks” for it?
Can we utter the unmistakable and wonderful and awe-filled word: Emmanuel — God is with us!
Father Perry D. Leiker is the 13th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.
