Message of Abbot Paul - Monday 19th December 2022

O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum,

super quem continebunt reges os suum,

quem Gentes deprecabuntur:

veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.

O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples;

before you kings will shut their mouths,

to you the nations will make their prayer:

Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.

 

​Root of Jesse might sound an unusual Messianic title for Jesus and yet it can be easily explained, for Jesse, the grandson of Ruth, was the father of David. David was the youngest of his eight sons and chosen by Samuel to be king of Israel after the fall from power of Saul. He was the boy who famously slew the Philistine Goliath. Why is Christ called the root of Jesse? Because of the prophecy of Micah: “But you, O Bethlehem … from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days” (Mic. 5:2). Micah foretold that the Messiah would come from the town of Bethlehem, and this is the same verse to which the scribes and priests referred when King Herod sought the birthplace of the king, who was to be visited by the Magi, as we read in Matthew (Mt. 2:6).

 

​In today’s rather long Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 1: 5-25), we start reading the Infancy Narrative according to Luke. He begins with the conception of John the Baptist, son of the elderly couple, way past the age of having children, Zechariah and Elizabeth. In many ways it is much more detailed than that of Jesus himself. It consists of the annunciation of John’s conception by the angel Gabriel to Zechariah, a priest serving in the Temple. It takes place in the sanctuary of the temple while Zechariah is serving there at the hour of incense, while the people are at prayer. These are the words of Gabriel to him, “Zechariah, do not be afraid, your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth is to bear you a son and you must name him John. He will be your joy and delight and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he must drink no wine, no strong drink. Even from his mother’s womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and he will bring back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah, he will go before him to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and the disobedient back to the wisdom that the virtuous have, preparing for the Lord a people fit for him.” We notice that it is God who chooses the name his father must give the boy and the fact that his birth will bring rejoicing to many. Important too is the fact that he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb and that his vocation will be a prophetic one, to bring back many to God with the power and spirit of Elijah. His task, then, will be to prepare the way for the Messiah’s coming, emphasising that John himself will not be the Messiah.

 

​Zechariah’s reply to the angel is similar to Mary’s, only here the objection is one of age rather than of youth and innocence. “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is getting on in years.” Whereas Mary believed, Zechariah doubted, so the angel Gabriel says to him, “I am Gabriel who stand in God’s presence, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. Listen! Since you have not believed my words, which will come true at their appointed time, you will be silenced and have no power of speech until this has happened.” So it is that Zechariah will remain dumb until John is born and named. Elizabeth conceives and is filled with joy. Her reaction is recorded, “The Lord has done this for me now that it has pleased him to take away the humiliation I suffered among men.” We pray today for the gift of faith to believe in God’s promises and accept his plans with an open heart and a n open mind.