December 8, 2004
| Genesis 3:9-15,20 + Ephesians 1:3-6 + Luke 1:26-38 |
| The news in today’s readings is not about the women: Eve or Mary It does not praise one nor blame the otherThe news is about God and God’s involvement in human salvation. If we stop with Mary on this feast, we miss the point.Notice that the Gospel is not about her Conception, but about Jesus. With that understanding, there are two important points of comparison between the reading from Luke and the reading from Genesis.They speak of God’s intimate relation with us. |
| The first issue we find common to both readings is fearAdam’s answer to God who asks: ‘Where are you?” is, “I was afraid.”The trust and intimacy enjoyed by God with creation has been replaced by fear The words of the messenger spoken to Mary are, “Do not be afraid.”With that announcement, the era of “fear” that comes from guilt has come to an end. |
| The second issue has to do with life.Adam names the women “Eve” It is a name linked to the Hebrew word for life, because “she is the mother of all the living.”Yet the consequence of their sin increases throughout the opening of Genesis with alienation, suffering, and death.These humans brought to life by the breath of God hide from God.The words of the messenger speak of birth and life.With that announcement, the era of “death” that comes from sin has come to an end. |
| Today we celebrate God’s gift of life, Christ’s conquest of death, and the first person to share completely in Christ’s gift, Mary Immaculate.That great gift is our hope for fullness of life in Christ. Now she is the mother of all the living.The Good News is the best possible news. Eve mourned in shame. Mary rejoiced.Eve bore in her heart the tears of all. Mary brought Joy to the earth.Eve gave birth to children of sin. Mary gave birth to the One who knew no sin.The mother of our race brought death upon the world. The Mother of the Lord brought life in abundance. Eve gave us death. Mary gives us life.Disobedience gave way to obedience. Unfaithfulness yields to faithfulness. |
| We may chose which mother we claim, and in doing so, we chose the family in which we shall live now and forever |