The eight days before Christmas

The Gospel readings from 17 to 24 December intensify the drama of these waiting days and women are at the heart of it.

The Gospel for the 17^th recounts the genealogy of Jesus according to Matthew.  This is Jesus’ identity traced back to Abraham.  The genealogy told the rest of the community who you were and a ‘good’ genealogy meant honour.  As the names roll on in their historical and numerical groupings the reader is caught up in the flow of names of the forefathers of Jesus.  At certain points the flow pauses to name foremothers – Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheeba (identified only as wife of Uriah) and Mary.  In a world where identity was named through the fathers, these women are significant.

All these women were vulnerable because there was something questionable about their lives according to the culture of their times but here they are heroines in the unfolding of God’s relationship with Israel.

Matthew’s Gospel for 18 December reveals why Mary is in the company with the women of the genealogy.  She is pregnant and not by her betrothed husband.  Joseph’s ‘justice’ or uprightness was to separate from her quietly rather than expose her to shame and possible execution.  It took a dream of an angel to reassure him.  I wonder how often in later years he must have looked at Jesus and wondered, wondered at these mysterious events.

In the Gospel texts of the following days we contemplate Elizabeth, another vulnerable woman who bore the social and religious stigma of childlessness which was seen as being cursed by God and now facing a dangerous birth because she was older than normal child bearing age.

Did Mary visit Elizabeth for mutual comfort and support?  The older woman having the wisdom of experience and the younger woman filled with hope despite uncertainty about the future.  Two women carrying the mystery of God join forces.  Luke’s Gospel depicts these two women as vulnerable, faithful – the anawim of Israel, the poor ones.  And precisely because of this their meeting results in explosive joy as they sing of God’s salvation and favour.

For Luke these two women epitomise how the mystery of Jesus is welcomed and understood by those of little account in the large scheme of the chosen people.  Just like the women of Matthew’s genealogy.

Luke parallels the annunciation to Zachary and the annunciation to Mary.  Zachary – the priest, representative of Israel before God did not understand.  His loss of speech is more than physical, it is symbolic of his inability to understand and proclaim the mystery.  However, Mary and Elizabeth, women who had no official role understood this momentous manifestation of God.  Later Luke follows this theme with the shepherds.  This mystery is grasped by the most unlikely people.

Angels too are busy in these narratives.  They come to invite, proclaim, reassure, direct, honour and admonish.   The presence of angels heightens the drama.  They symbolise God’s courtesy – no coercion, always invitation.

So as the great feast draws closer, in this time of heightened anticipation, we are invited to sit with these female ancestors of Jesus who held onto a promise at each historical moment of Israel’s history; with Joseph bewildered, compassionate to Mary and obedient to God; the angels, busy and joy-filled; and above all with Elizabeth and Mary both life-bearers, bearing more than physical life, life that is faith, life that is God who is fecund, life that explodes in joy.

In the midst of our Christmas preparations, may we share in the expectant hope of these people of the Gospel.  We never know when angels in strange disguise and in unlikely places may want to whisper words of invitation to us.  May we wait with them in joyful hope.