As we think about Jesus’ birth today, what stands out to me in the prophecy to Ahaz about the virgin and her son is the whole thing about doing God’s will.
As you read through the lectionary today, ask yourself if you’re more like Ahaz, who didn’t trust, or more like the Psalm-writer, Hebrews, and Mary, who did.
Today’s Lectionary: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032525.cfm.
Reading 1 – Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10
When Israel faced a threat from neighboring armies, God sent Isaiah to King Ahaz, promising divine protection if he trusted in God’s provision.
However, Ahaz, determined to secure the city and nation through his own efforts, refused to rely on God. Even when offered a sign as confirmation, Ahaz declined, masking his unbelief with a pretense of piety.
This is the account of their interaction.
Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”
But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.”
Then Isaiah said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals that you weary my God also?” (Isaiah 7:10-13).
How many times are we like the king and refuse God’s gracious intervention out of unbelief?
However bad Ahaz’s behavior was, the interaction created an opportunity for God to deliver a prophecy concerning the birth of our Lord.
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, a virgin is with child and shall bear a son and shall name him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 11
King Ahaz in Isaiah 7 was double-minded, torn between two conflicting approaches. He professed loyalty to God while relying on his own strategies for self-preservation.
The psalmist’s words ring true: God’s will must have first place in our hearts and actions.
I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart. (Psalm 40:8)
Reading 2 – Hebrews 10:4-10
Hebrews, in agreement with Psalm 40, states that Jesus was determined to fulfill God’s will. Because of this, we are sanctified, meaning we are set apart for God’s purposes.
And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (Hebrews 10:10)
Jesus’ obedience enables our sanctification, and we are to mirror His obedience in our own lives.
Verse Before the Gospel – John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).
Gospel – Luke 1:26-38
The prophecy recorded in Isaiah 7 was realized through the Virgin Mary. When she questioned how God would execute this magnificent work, the angel responded with these words.
The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God” (Luke 1:35).
Like King Ahaz, I often struggle with double-mindedness, wavering between self-reliance and trust in God.
Unlike the psalmist or the Hebrews passage, I admit to spending too much time pursuing my own agenda, rather than aligning with God’s.
The angel’s words to Mary are important for me. I must learn to trust that the Holy Spirit will work through me to accomplish God’s will.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed the terms of peace between Laban and Jacob in Genesis 31.
Real Voices 