Let us now light our fourth and final candle of the Advent Wreathe. Everyone please say: Come lord Jesus.
Facing east of the Church, at Grandview cemetery, there are these towering Poplar trees.
I made the mistake a few times driving on the road that is adjacent to the poplar trees. The roads are rough next to these towering trees are rough because of the big roots. And they cause great damage to the asphalt, cement and also the car. So you could say that the poplar trees are not well liked and not very popular.
But in order for those towering trees to withstand inclement weather, you can imagine how big the roots are and how far it has to extend deep into the ground to stay that high.
A few days more is Christmas or the Nativity. We have the opportunity to look deep within the roots of The birth of Christ.
The Angel Gabriel says to St Joseph:
"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take your wife into your home."
One of the greatest Kings in the history of Israel is King David. David, as you know, was youngest son of Jesse. He proved to be a great king, a man after God's heart. Certainly, he was not perfect, but he proved to be a good king through his fidelity to God.
While everyone feared the giant named Goliath of the Philistines, David defeated Goliath with a pebble and a sling shot.
David eventually replaced Saul as King. King David also wanted to build a house for God. Because for a few hundred years, the Ark of the Covenant, that contains the 10 commandments on tablets, and also Moses' staff and the a jar of Manna; the ark dwelt in a tent. So King David wanted to do something great for God. He wanted to build a house or a temple, a dwelling place for The Lord.
But Almighty God had a different plan. God will instead build a house for David. Not necessarily a temple, but He will raise up a Messiah from one of his descendants.
It will be done through Joseph, Son of David. But even Joseph did not understand how God will fulfill this promise. When Joseph discovered that Blessed Mother is with child, he wanted to divorce her, not publicly, but quietly. He wanted to do so in order to spare her, and keep from public shame. But also to let the rightful Father take his place. But it was revealed to him in a dream that blessed Mother had conceived by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit.
Through Isaiah, God communicates fidelity to the Covenant. God will carry out the promise made to King David. "A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and he shall be called Emmanuel which means God is with us."
King David wanted to glorify God and wanted to build house for God. Instead, God to build a house for David. The prophecy will be fulfilled, and this is uniquely Christian, that a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and he shall be called Emmanuel which means God is with us.
Some would wonder why wasn't Jesus named Emmanuel as it was prophesied. Emmanuel is a title that means God is with us, not a name. It would be kind of like calling a priest, Father or calling a surgeon doctor. By referring to Christ in the title Emmanuel, it is acknowledging that he is God, begotten, not made, consubstantial to God, of the same substance with God the Father.
He shall be called Emmanuel which means God with us. Jesus Christ is truly God and truly human.
Going back to the roots of the early church, there was a prevalent heresy at the time called Docetism. Docetism taught that Christ only appeared to be human. He appeared to be born. He appeared to die on the cross. For them, the stories of his birth and paschal mystery are just an allegory, to convey a moral lesson.
Interestingly, because of the influence of Docetism, some early Christians would not use wine for consecration. Because they believe that Christ did not become human and so did not have real human blood. If they did not use wine, what did they use? They must have used a kind of juice or omit it completely. They would not have used wine for consecration since they did not believe Christ did not truly become human. Some denominations today do not use real wine, and it may a hybrid form of Docetism.
But Notice that at the Holy Mass, sacramental wine is used. We believe that after consecration, it becomes Christ's precious blood. When it is presented to us: the Blood of Christ, we say Amen, because we believe that it is truly Christ's precious blood.
The same thing can be said of Bread that is to be offered. If some have been influenced by Docetism, they would've allowed for anything to substitute for the bread, because they believe that Christ did not truly become human.
As Christmas draws near, we have the opportunity to renew our faith in the new covenant, and to make room for Christ, to build a house for Christ, just as King David wanted to do. It is so that the soul can become a manger, a dwelling place for the Christ Child.
If the consecrated bread and wine is not truly Christ, then there is no need for us to take it seriously. But if it truly is Christ's body and precious blood as Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition has taught us, then we are blessed that the prophecy has come true, God is indeed with us in Christ Jesus, true God and true man. Come Lord Jesus.
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