“…the Lord himself will give you a sign: a young woman who is pregnant will have a son and you will name him ‘Immanuel.’” Isaiah 7:14
It’s a good thing that God himself gave us the sign. Immanuel means “God is with us.” How could we ever have the audacity to claim that God is one of us? But the Creator of the Universe loves us so much that He chose to take on our humanity—with all its frailties. To be with us, God chose to be born of a young woman named Mary, one of us. The All-powerful chose to become a helpless infant and to depend on others to feed and clothe him.
God is with us. He chose to experience the joys and sorrows, the pains and frustrations that are part and parcel of the human condition. He didn’t have to. Out of love for us, He stood in solidarity with our sinfulness on the banks of the Jordan River and sought baptism. He accepted the warmth and the betrayal of friendship. He willingly endured insults, contempt, torture, and death. Rather than remain aloof from his creation, he chose to participate in what we experience.
Who could believe that God would love us so much that he would want to be with us not only in name, but in being? To be not only the Son of God, but the Son of Man? It’s too good to be true—except it is. Who could believe it? We can, because hundreds of years before it happened, the Lord himself gave us a sign.
Prayer: We praise and thank you, Son of God and Son of Mary.
Reflection: God loves us so much he wanted to be one of us. What difference can that awareness make in your life?
Copyright 2017, Barbara Hosbach
Barbara Hosbach
Barbara Hosbach, freelance writer, is co-chair of the CJ Chapter of the Catholic Writers Guild and member of the Catholic Press Association. Hosbach’s articles have appeared in a number of Catholic periodicals. Her latest book, Your Faith Has Made You Well: Jesus Heals in the New Testament, explores what happened when Jesus healed and what it means for us today. Your Faith Has Made You Well: Jesus Heals in the New Testament and Fools, Liars, Cheaters, and Other Bible Heroes
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