Working for the Word

Focusing the Gospel

Key words and phrases: from God, The Lord is with you, conceive in your womb

To the point: God comes. In this annunciation gospel God establishes a divine dwelling place in a most unexpected place—in the womb of Mary. The Word is made flesh by God’s initiative—it is God-given. By fixing a place (see first reading) for divinity in human flesh and blood, God fixes a place for us within the divine embrace. Truly, the Lord is with us.

Connecting the Gospel …

… to the First Reading: In the First Reading, David takes the initiative in providing God a suitable dwelling place among the chosen people. God’s response to David is that God will do more for David (build an everlasting dynasty) than David could ever do for God (build a temple). What humans would confine to stones and mortar, God plants in human flesh and blood.

… to experience: We sense that David’s instinct was good: he lived in a fine house, and he wanted to build the same for God. But our ways are not God’s ways. Nothing we do for God can ever surpass what God does for us.

**From Saint Louis University