In today’s reflection on the daily mass readings, Fr Richard considers how God so often uses something which seems ordinary – such as the birth of a child – to achieve something amazing.
Readings for 19 December: Judges 13.2-7, 24-25; Psalm 71.3-4, 5-6, 16-17; Luke 1.5-25. Text of readings can be found here.
The news that a baby is on the way can generate a whole range of emotions for the family concerned. Joy and excitement will surely be common reactions, as everyone eagerly looks forward to the tiny new human, that bundle of cuteness, arriving on the scene. Added to this there might be surprise, if the pregnancy was not planned; there also may be a degree of worry or concern if finances are tight, or previous pregnancies have been difficult. And then of course everyone will wonder what will become of this new addition as he or she grows up and makes their way in the world.
The arrival of a new child is at the same time routine (there are 4.3 births per second throughout the world), and incredibly special. It is striking how often in the Bible God uses such an event to further his purposes. Today we hear of two such instances – the announcement of the birth of Samson to Zorah and his wife, and that of John the Baptist to Zechariah and Elizabeth. To these we could add the births of Isaac, Samuel, and of course that of Jesus, to which our readings today are looking forward.
God deliberately chooses such an ordinary yet also extraordinary event to remind us of a very important truth. We might think of ourselves, our lives, our churches and communities as fairly ordinary, nothing that exceptional. In reality, of course, we are all exceptional because we are unique, and created in God’s image. Yet just as he works in and through the seemingly ordinary event of childbirth (albeit adding unique and even miraculous elements), so he can work through us, and our situations, ordinary as they might seem to us, but extraordinary and special as they are to him.
Mass today (Friday 19 December) is in St Saviour’s, Splott at 10am
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