Emmanuel 厄瑪奴耳

Fourth Advent Sunday, Year A
Theme: Emmanuel 厄瑪奴耳

At long last after three weeks of anticipation, God comes to liberate us. It should have been good news to all of us who live in darkness and death’s shadow (Luke 1:79). But regret to say, some people feel comfortable living in slavery, compulsion, obsession and addiction etc. For different reasons, they hide inside their comfort zones. Perhaps some of us don’t know or feel being enslaved by those dysfunctions. Therefore, it would be meaningless to “liberate” them because they don’t feel the need of freedom! They only want comfort! The complaints of the Israelites in the wilderness is a vivid illustration of such a mentality, “If only we had died at the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our kettles of meat and ate our fill of bread! But you have led us into this wilderness to make this whole assembly die of famine!” (Exodus 16:3) They preferred comfort and security to freedom!

Some people want to hide from God. Probably they are like Adam who disobeyed God and was ashamed of failing his Creator or was afraid of being punished for disobedience (Genesis 3:10). In hind sight, it is naïve of Adam trying to hide from God. There is no such place in the known universe! The Psalter sings this beautifully and deserves to be quoted in full. “Where can I go from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee? If I ascend to the heavens, you are there; if I lie down in Sheol, there you are. If I take the wings of dawn and dwell beyond the sea, Even there your hand guides me, your right hand holds me fast. If I say, ‘Surely darkness shall hide me, and night shall be my light’. Darkness is not dark for you, and night shines as the day. Darkness and light are but one” (Psalms 139:7-12). The Psalter feels encircled and even penetrated. The space we occupy is His! Such is the reality but then in this light, freedom seems to be an illusion.

Is there a better way so that our genuine freedom is guaranteed? Previously, God attempted to restrain His power by establishing successive covenants with the Israelites. In so doing, the almighty God draws boundaries as to what He can and cannot do! “For I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their ancestors’ wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation; but showing love down to the thousand generation of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:5-6). This is the first of the Ten Commandments which seems to have embedded an understanding of a judgmental God. However, people have overlooked the word “love” in this very first Commandment and focused too much on the word “punishment”. It is true that “punishment” goes first and first impression is so lasting that even a thousand is insufficient to overcome three and four! Alas! Laws written on stones are rigid. So, God chooses a better, a less intrusive and less imposing label for His redemptive action. Perhaps it can be more palatable for humanity. God comes to stay with us --- Emmanuel, in Hebrew. “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us’” (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23). Indeed, this “Emmanuel” theme runs through the whole gospel of Matthew and it forms an inclusio in the gospel whose very last verse reads, “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (28:20). In this final verse before His ascension, Jesus proclaims His divinity. Perhaps we should meditate how Jesus is with us always as narrated in the gospel of Matthew.

As the Holy Infant, Jesus revealed himself through the Bethlehem Star to the Magi, hinting that God’s love is universal and is not confined to the Jews (2:1-2). Fleeing the murderous attempts of Herod the Great, the Holy Family became refugees in Egypt. How paradoxical it is that our Saviour can be found among traditional enemies (2:14-15)! Indeed, no enemy is permanent! After returning from Egypt, He was raised up in Nazareth which was not a respectable town in the north (John 1:46). However, Matthew was able to associate this town with a dedicated and even a consecrated life! “He shall be called a Nazorean” (Matthew 2:23). Jesus is sinless and yet He asked the Baptist to baptize Him in the River Jordan to fulfil all righteousness (3:15). Thus, early in His public ministry, Jesus was eager to accompany sinners in their repentant journey. Not only is our Saviour found among saints but He can also be found among sinners. He dined with tax-collectors and sinners/prostitutes (9:11). But don’t make Jesus wrong. He does not despise the powerful (8:10) or the rich (26:6) and has no difficulty mixing with them. At the end of His life, He was crucified between two robbers (27:38). He challenges His disciples to welcome Him among sinners and enemies.

Miracles are signs indicating God’s presence. In the Old Testament, most of the miracles are overwhelming to show off God’s majesty in fighting battles for the Israelites: splitting the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22) and stopping the movement of the sun for half a day (Joshua 10:13). Jesus also did spectacular miracles to reveal His divinity such as calming the sea, driving out demons and multiplying bread to feed 5000 etc. On the other hand, Jesus also works more refined miracles which took care of the needy grass-root people: the lepers, the paralyzed and the blind etc. Though Jesus could not be infected and suffer illness physically, He is able to read minds (Matthew 9:4) and thus to feel their agony. He is in communion with the sick and thus able to console and heal them. Doesn’t Jesus tell the disciples to care for the sick because He is among them? In the miracle of walking on the water, He saved Simon Peter (14:31) whom He would later make the Rock on the Church (16:18). In this particular miracle, Jesus shows that He is in communion with the Church. If we want to find Jesus, find Him in the Church, not in the Temple. The greatest miracle Jesus has ever worked should be the consecration/transformation of bread and wine into His own body and blood (26:26-28). In so doing, He made Himself accessible to all peoples and in communion with all peoples. He is present in whoever believes in this mystery and receives the Holy Eucharist. Lastly, in the Matthean narrative of the Agony in the Garden, Jesus spoke “with me” twice (26:38, 40) while none is found in the narratives of the other two Synoptic gospels. Not only is a powerful walking-on-water Son of God found in the Church, but also an abandoned Suffering Servant of God!

Brethren! The list above is not meant to be exhaustive. With further meditation, I’m sure you are able to unearth more. Are you able to find a class/category of people whom Jesus does not stay with?
May the Lord be with you whichever category of people you are. Amen!
2019 Reflection
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