Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover

 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.  And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.  Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.  So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and the captains, how he might betray Him to them.  And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.  So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.

Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.  And he sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat."  So they said to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare?"  And He said to them, "Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will met you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters.  Then you shall say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"'  Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready."  So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

- Luke 22:1-13

In Tuesday's reading, after Jesus' long discourse on the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem and His second coming, He spoke to them a parable:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.  But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.  For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  Watch therefore, and pray always that you maybe counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."  And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.  Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.   My study bible explains that the Passover (Pascha/Πάσχα in the Greek) is the celebration of the destruction of the firstborn of Egypt and the deliverance of God's people from bondage (Exodus 12:14).  In remembrance of this event, the Jews would slaughter an unblemished lamb to be eaten with unleavened bread.   It notes that this is a prefiguration of Christ's Passion, in which the only-begotten Son of God is slain in order to deliver His people from their bondage to sin and death, and then is raised to lead them into the eternal Kingdom.  In the West, this event is commemorated as Easter, known in the East as Pascha (the primary term referring to the death and Resurrection of Christ).  

And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.  Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.  So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and the captains, how he might betray Him to them.  And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.  So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.  According to the commentary in my study bible, Satan does not enter a person except by the person's consent.  It explains that the reason Satan chose Judas and none of the others is that Judas had a place for Satan in his heart, while the others did not.  Luke explicitly mentions that Judas was numbered among the twelve, which emphasizes for us the readers the depth of betrayal involved -- and how many are being betrayed.  My study bible comments that this shows us that a religious position is worthless if it is not accompanied by faith and virtue.

Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.  And he sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat."  So they said to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare?"  And He said to them, "Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will met you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters.  Then you shall say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"'  Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready."  So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.  Again, my study bible comments on the term Passover here.   "Passover" can refer to the original event of the ancient Jews, the celebration of that event, the food that is eaten, or the lamb that is slain.  According to patristic commentary, Peter represents zeal and John represents spiritual understanding, the two virtues with which we are to partake of Christ's supper.

It is interesting to note the careful, explicit preparations and instructions given by Christ for His Passover Supper (at which the Eucharist will be instituted), underscoring the importance and significance of this time.  The other time we read of such detailed instruction before an event is in the preparation for the Triumphal Entry (see this reading).  As such, they suggest what is called in Greek kairos/καιρος, a significant time, an "acceptable time to the Lord" (2 Corinthians 6:2), a moment when our worldly time is specifically intersected by a divine event.  The entrance of the Messiah/Bridegroom into Jerusalem is one such event, the Passover/Passion and momentous sacrifice of Christ, made once for all of history and all the world, and memorialized and re-enacted forever via the Eucharist, is another.   It is an indication of a time of fulfillment.  Like the birth of Christ, the divine interrupts human history to reveal an essential truth.  It's important to consider Pascha/Passover/Easter and its meaning for us.  Christ fulfills the Passover with Himself as the Passover, the Lamb slaughtered once and for all, and for deliverance of all of the world (John 3:16).  This moment is one of transfiguration, one that changes meanings and values, by revealing what is at the center of history for all of us who call ourselves faithful to Christ.  It's important to understand the notion of sacrifice and its purpose.  In John's Gospel, Jesus says, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain" (John 12:24).   Jesus is the "firstborn" who offers Himself so that the "firstfruits" may be revealed, with Himself first of all (Revelation 14:4).  Jesus feeds us with us His Body and Blood, to produce something new in us and among us.  This is a purpose of transfiguration, for the whole world, and we don't yet know its fullness, but we are in the midst of its effects, which we see only partially.  St. Paul writes, "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known" (1 Corinthians 13:12).  What we must understand is that the purpose of sacrifice is just what Jesus describes when He speaks of His own sacrifice:  it is for fruition.  It is so that we may grow and produce fruits unseen and unknown, incalculable in their fullness -- and through time.  Faith is just as Christ describes His sacrifice:  it is planting seeds for growth and harvest.  It's no accident that the parable of the The Sower is the first He gives, and that the parables of wheat and harvest, even of weeds which mimic the good wheat, all form the notable foundation of His preaching and use of parables (see Matthew 13).  What sounds to us like something grim is in fact nothing of the sort.  Sacrifice is the work of an infinite God of goodness, meant so that we may harvest an incalculable -- even eternal -- abundance.  This sense of sacrifice cannot fit into notions of payment:  there is no way we could possibly pay for the gifts we're given, and they are given freely, as the prerogative of an unlimited God.  Payment is a far too confined concept to understand this process and how our lives work together with God's grace.  Let us consider that when we sacrifice for our faith, we are following in the footsteps of the Firstborn, the One who shows us the way.  Do you take time out for prayer?  Do you make a priority for your faith before other things?   Is there a time for gratitude rather than the constant pursuit of worldly goals?  These are just some examples of that kind of sacrifice:  what we give our time and effort for, what we put first before we rush toward something else.  Let us remember the purpose He gives us.  On that notion hinges so much of what we are capable of doing with the gift of our lives.

Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, "God with us"

 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows:  After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.  Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.  But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.  And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."   So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,"
which is translated, "God with us."

Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son.  And he called His name JESUS.

- Matthew 1:18-25

Yesterday, we read that after having been told by the angel Gabriel that she would conceive a Son, and also of Elizabeth's pregnancy, Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.  And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.   Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!  But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.  Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord."   And Mary said:  "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.   For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.  For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.  And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.  He has shown strength with His arm;  He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.  He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly.  He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.  He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy,  As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever."  And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.

 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows:  After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.  Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.   We look closely at this description of Joseph as a "just" man.  The word in Greek means "just" and it can also mean "righteous."  We ask ourselves what kind of righteousness do we see in Joseph.  My study bible says that Joseph's righteousness consisted of a mercy that transcends the Law (Hosea 6:6).  He showed mercy by his unwillingness to expose her supposed sin, although he was obliged by the Law to do so.  This is an example of the righteousness Jesus will espouse in His teachings.  Joseph is called Mary's husband, but the Bible calls engaged couples husband and wife before marriage (Rachel, for example, was called the wife of Jacob before marriage because of their engagement -- see Genesis 29:21; also Deuteronomy 22:23-24).   So, Joseph is called the husband and Mary, and she is called his wife further on in today's passage.  By tradition in the Church, Joseph is remembered as the Betrothed.  He was, in an important sense, both guardian and husband to Mary.  

But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit."  My study bible points out here that the angel (or "messenger") of the Lord dispels Joseph's false reasoning by announcing what is utterly unreasonable:  the pregnancy of Mary is by the Holy Spirit.  The virginity of Mary points us to the divinity of Christ.

 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."   So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:  "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," 
which is translated, "God with us."  My study bible notes for us that Matthew repeatedly uses the formula that it might be fulfilled which was spoken (2:15, 23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 26:56; 27:35).   This underscores, it says, the intervention of God throughout history, demonstrates the continuity between Old and New Covenants, and indicates the beginning of the new creation.  Jesus' conception fulfills Isaiah 7:14, in which we are told that a virgin would conceive and bear a Son.  The One conceived in Mary is not a new Person coming into existence, but rather the eternal Son of God "using her womb as His throne," my study bible says.  Both the virginal conception by means of the Holy Spirit and the name Immanuel, God with us, are declarations of Christ's divinity.  JESUS is the Greek version of the name Joshua, meaning "God Saves" or "Savior."  A Savior, in the language of the Old Testament, can also be understood as judge or deliverer, and a redeemer.  We recall Joshua as the first to cross the Jordan and enter the Promised Land; he is a "type" of Christ.  Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Covenant, who brings in the New.

 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son.  And he called His name JESUS.  Just as Mary is obedient to God, so also is Joseph.  It's important to understand that the word "till" doesn't imply anything that happened after this event; rather, in the Greek, the word indicates what happened "up until" the event, and frequently implies the same situation continues after the event.  The Church, from its beginning, has proclaimed the "ever-virgin" quality of Mary.   Jesus is firstborn; again this word means no child was born before Jesus -- but does not necessarily indicate subsequent children.  "Firstborn" is traditionally known as primary heir and recipient of blessings; thus a position that exists regardless of whether or not there are siblings.  My study bible tells us that Jesus is also firstborn over all creation, and also firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:15, 18). 

We can write of the "ever-virgin" character of Mary (which implies much more than a physical state but also teaches us about her spiritual state), and the miraculous quality of this event of the birth of Jesus, or Immanuel, "God with us."  But for my part, my mind goes to the quiet quality of this scene, somewhere out of the way, so to speak, the birth of Christ in a place without fanfare and seemingly as one of the "least of these."    If we think of the quietness and intimacy of this birth, we have just three people involved:  Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus Himself, the Lord Incarnate.   What stands out in the quietness of the three is the intimacy of the relationship to God in each of these parents, and through the Son how God is tied in to everything in our world, and into each of our own lives.  Mary and Joseph are both told the great news before Jesus' birth, and both are obedient, even in the "quietness" and intimacy of the great news that at this point hardly anyone else knows.  Their humility gives us a truly holy quality, not borne out in distractions of pomp or display, but instead in just the pure truth of what is happening, the reality of "God with us."  God works in each of them, in their faith, and the vast work of the Spirit makes each event possible.  This great good news isn't for the pomp and circumstance of the world.  Rather it is also for each one of us, in our own intimate relationships with God, and it is "for the life of the world," because all the world is sanctified through His presence, this birth, "God with us."  Everything in our world is blessed through His birth and His life, and all the elements of our lives are so blessed as to become fruitful via His Gospel.  Our very water is sanctified for baptism, wheat (the grain of the field) becomes His body for our Eucharist, wine (fruit of the vine) His blood, given for us as eternal sign of God's steadfast love and mercy.  This is what we focus on.  God takes on our flesh, our life in this world, and sanctifies and blesses all of it for each one of us.  These two figures, Mary and Joseph, are holy because of their love and obedience to God.  But they are examples for us all, for each of our lives, each in our own way.  The birth of the Child ties together our lives, their lives, the lives of all those who came before, and every single element in our world.   After all, the others who will share in the news of this birth, we're told, are shepherds in the field with their flocks, the angels who announce the joyful news, and the animals symbolizing all of creation in a Bethlehem manger.  We also have a sign of the whole created cosmos in the star that will guide the three Magi to Jesus.  Let us be humble enough to see Him still as "God with us," in our own quiet time to understand, even in the midst of all the celebrations.