Your Will Be Done 爾旨承行

Fourth Advent Sunday, Year B
Theme: Your Will Be Done 爾旨承行

If we have spent sufficient time studying the Bible, we will arrive at a conclusion without a shade of doubt, namely that our Father in heaven is infinitely beyond our knowing and that we shall rest assured of His providence. This is the last Advent Sunday which this year falls on Christmas Eve! Of course, this happens regularly once every five to six years and there seems to be anything but extraordinary. Not quite! The world has been chaotic and war-torn enough these months. Many Christians who were born after the two world wars in the previous century are in earnest anticipation to witness what peace our heavenly Father has in store for us. We know that we have a part to play but world peace is really beyond our reach. It is too big for us to manage but we are confident that when instead of throwing our hands in the air, we elevate them to our heavenly Father in prayers, He will hear and answer us.

The first reading today is the famous “Nathan Oracle”. When the Empire was secured and the twelve tribes of Israel united, King David had less worries on the political and military fronts. He turned his attention to the consolidation on the religious front --- build a Temple for Yahweh in Jerusalem. It had never been easy to eradicate idolatory when your people were living among pagans and a Temple would draw the attention of the people to Yahweh. The choice of location was prudent because Jerusalem was built on top of Mount Sion, a militarily secure site. When King David told Nathan his intention, there was nothing Nathan could find to object about. So Nathan says, “Whatever is in your heart, go and do, for the Lord is with you” (2 Samuel 7:3). After all, Samuel told King Saul, David’s predecessor, that David was “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). Indeed, David had been a man after God’s own heart for a time long enough for the unification of the twelve tribes of Israel into a kingdom. But history proves that authority corrupts even the man after God’s heart. That’s another story to meditate. Let’s focus on today’s texts.

It turned out that God’s heart is far bigger than humanity could fathom. God has a grander vision. Our heavenly Father knows David’s heart through and through. David’s future was clearly visible in His sight. So first of all, God made it plain to David through Nathan that He does not dwell in a house (2 Samuel 7:6-7). Before David came to power, God had never complained about the absence of a Temple to worship Him. Perhaps Isaiah’s explanation is better and clearer, “Thus says the Lord: The heavens are my throne, the earth, my footstool. What house can you build for me? Where is the place of my rest? My hand made all these things when all of them came to be --- oracle of the Lord” (Isaiah 66:1-2a). Finally, it is through Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son that true worship is revealed. When men build temples to worship deities, men actually attempt to take control over the whereabouts of their deities. Such deities are men-made idols because they can be manipulated by men and thus not worth worshipping. No! Yahweh would not play into men’s hands. Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth” (John 4:24). In other words, men are able to worship even without a temple because their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). What does “worship in Spirit and truth” amount to? Nowadays, we can’t afford the opulence of King Solomon, who and the entire community of Israel, gathered for the dedication of the First Temple before the Ark of Covenant, sacrificed sheep and oxen too many to number or count (1 Kings 8:5). No. Our heavenly Father does not want this because it is only a show-off of personal power and wealth before the people! Don’t be silly to play Pharaoh before the Almighty living God who prefers something else!

Let’s return to Nathan’s Oracle. One may wonder why God needed to be so long-winded to talk about David’s past, “I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to become ruler over my people Israel. I was with you wherever you went, and I cut down all your enemies before you” (2 Samuel 7:8b-9a). Why? It was the same love Yahweh always has for potential sinners, such as Cain (Genesis 4:6-7). God pledged a good future which David could attain when he continued to be humble like the shepherd boy of the good old days, “And I will make your name like that of the greatest on earth. I will assign a place for my people Israel and I will plant them in it to dwell there; they will never be disturbed, nor shall the wicked ever again oppress them, as they did at the beginning, and from the day when I appointed judges over my people. I will give you rest from all your enemies” (2 Samuel 7:9b-10). King David was important because his choices would directly affect the fate not only of himself but also of God’s people Israel. Regrettably, King David fell from grace and so did his son King Solomon! Without giving up, our heavenly Father kept raising reformers such as King Josiah and Ezra and finally played His trump card, a humble virgin with an immaculate heart whom Satan would regret to have overlooked.

It is interesting to note that God did not visit the Blessed Virgin Mary in person like He did with the Patriarchs, Moses, David and Solomon etc., but sent an angel to announce His plan instead, like the anonymous mother of Samson (Judges 13:2). No! It is too conspicuous and Satan would know lest it would attack her like it did with other big and famous figures in the Old Testament. Thus, instead of praying, “Your will be done” (Matthew 6:10b), the Blessed Virgin Mary would only say, “May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38b)!

Alas! Many a Christian prays “Your will be done” when he actually wants “My will be done”. Too many people in power have hijacked Christianity by committing atrocities in God’s name or advocating bigotry with God’s words. Take a look at the Blessed Virgin Mary. She did not find comfort or convenience in the angel’s annunciation. Instead, “But she was greatly troubled at what was said” (1:29a)! Therefore, don’t expect to feel and find consolation or relief in God’s will! Most of the time, because of our sinful nature, the opposite might be a good indication of God’s will, namely you’ll feel inconvenient, troublesome, futile, exhausting, impossible and hopeless etc. Who wants to be poor or sick? Who wants to be ignored, rejected or even scolded? Most of the time, we would be grateful for such sufferings afterwards. Patience pays.

Beloved brethren! Do you have the stomach to will God’s will be done on you?
God bless!
2020 Reflection
Picture Credit: bible.fandom.com, enterthebible.org