Communion With the Christ:: The Season of Advent: Ponder All of These Words

“But Mary treasured up all these words and pondered them in her heart.” Lk: 2:19

St. Luke in his Gospel account records for us the circumstances involving the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. St. Luke, in the first chapter of his Gospel narrative presents to us the angelic annunciation to Mary through Gabriel that she would be the bearer of the long-awaited Messiah of Israel. That she would be the Theotokos, the bearer of God.

The angel is sent from Heaven to Mary in the town of Nazareth and gives her the news from Almighty God that she would be with child and that this child that she would bear would change all things forever.

“You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Highest. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God”. Lk: 1:31-35

To Bethlehem

The Evangelist’s account tells us that through the taxation decree of Caesar, Joseph and Mary travel to the town of Bethlehem, the home their ancestor David.

“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.” Lk: 2:4-5

After arriving in Bethlehem, the couple, find themselves unable to secure lodging. While in Bethlehem they find only a vacancy in a stable among the live-stock.

It is here, in this out-of-way place and time, in less-than-ideal conditions, in a stable for animals that Mary gives birth to the very child of which so much had been spoken.

“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.” (6-7)

The Angelic Host

As Joseph and Mary care for their newborn son, not far off out in the fields there was a group of shepherds, who in that day, were considered to be among the marginalized members of society.

As these shepherds tended their flock, they have a supernatural visitation in the form of an angelic messenger out of Heaven from God who announce to the shepherds good news, which initially terrifies them as the radiance of heavenly glory shines about them.

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified” (8-9)

The Angel immediately speaks to them giving assurances that what is transpiring is nothing to fear, and then the Angelic messenger proclaims the good news to the shepherds that the God of their ancestors has now moved to fulfill his divine word which had been spoken of for centuries, that the long-awaited Savior had now come and that they, the marginalized, were now invited to Bethlehem to come and look upon this new born Savior, the very living embodiment of God’s faithfulness and all that God had promised.

“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (10-12)

After the angle delivers the good news of the Savior's coming, a choir of angels appear and sing praise to God.

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (13-14)

After the glorious praise of the angelic host ends, they then returned to Heaven. It is then that the shepherds resolve to go to Bethlehem and see this newly born Savior which had been proclaimed to them. (15)

They Tell the Story

The group of social outcast shepherds arrive in Bethlehem and find the stable where the Holy family of Joseph, Mary had sought shelter and their new born son who had come forth into the world just as the message of the angel has said.

“So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.” (16)

The shepherds share their story with any and all whom they encounter and they tell the Holy family what they had experienced through the angelic visitation. All who heard their words are amazed at the shepherd's testimony concerning the coming of this child Savior and message which brought them to this place so that they might see him the Savior, with their own eyes.

“When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.” (17-18)

Pondered Their Words

Upon hearing the shepherds recount their supernatural experience, Mary, the mother of this child of which so many words have been spoken and around which miraculous occurrence have transpired, ponders all these things which have been spoken even as the rejoicing shepherds depart still glorifying and praising God.

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” (19-20)

Mary’s pondering of is more than just a causal momentary reflection, but rather it was a deep contemplation carried out at the very heart of her being over a life time for the remainder of her life.

Mary grasped that something of great divine importance had taken place for she "treasured up all these words" about her son.

Do We Ponder?

What about us? We who hear the message about of the birth of the Savior, do we, like Mary, treasure these words up in our hearts and ponder them? When we read the Holy Word of God or hear the message about the Savior Jesus Christ proclaimed to us do we ponder those words?

Do we ponder with deep and lifelong consideration the message about our Savior’s coming, there, in that far away and out-of-the-way place and time long ago?

Do we ponder why Jesus came in such a way and such a place, why be born in stable among the livestock and invite the lowly and disenfranchised to be the first to see God’s Holy Anointed One?...Why do even the angel rejoice in his coming?

Why would God, the Creator of all things choose such a lowly estate into which to come and reveal himself to us? Do we ponder what it means to us all?...What do these word about Jesus say to us regarding our God? Do we perceive the message of Jesus as a treasure to be held with our hearts?

The Advent-Christmas season speaks to us about the coming of our Lord and Savior. Let us, each and all, ponder the message of Jesus’ coming and let it speak to each and all of us not just now but throughout our lives.

Benediction: May we each and all treasure the words about our Lord Jesus’ coming and let us ponder them deep within our hearts, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.