THE SHEPHERDS ARRIVE TO SEE JESUS
15When the
angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let
us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord
has made known to us.”
16And they went
with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.
17And when they
saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this
child. 18And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19But
Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
20And the
shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they
had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
21And at the end
of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by
the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
LUKE
2:15-21
COMMENTARY
Luke makes a
highlight here of the reinforced faith displayed by the shepherds, the surprise
of the new to the gospel, and the total faith worthy of praise and imitation of
St Mary, the mother of our Lord JESUS. That is the intention why this narrative
was written in so much detail.
1 - THE
SHEPHERDS
Taking into
consideration all that is written about them in this gospel, it is clear that for
their reaction, they were regular Jewish believers, and not unbelieving people.
They were surprised at the sight of angels speaking to them, but they did not
doubt their existence, or resisted to the message, but acknowledge the revelation
as coming from ‘The Lord’, and the angels themselves call them ‘Those of whom
He is well pleased’ (Luke 2:9-10,14-15).
After they confirmed
their trust in God, they went back joyfully, praising God for the things ‘they
had heard and seen, as it had been told them’. They represent those people who
have a simple faith, but respond positively to God’s manifestation, increasing
in faith and devotion.
2 – THOSE WHO
HEAR
The second human
group is the one represented by those present, who even though they were not
the first recipients of the revelation given to the Shepherds, they were chosen
to listen directly from their testimony, and will react in different ways. Some
will believe their declarations, and some will not.
3 – ST MARY
The best example
represented in the attitude of Mary, the mother of our Lord.
Even though she
represents the generation of the chosen ones by God, to serve Him in special
tasks, Mary displays total obedience to the Will of God.
Even though she
was aware of the reality of the special child she just gave birth, and that He
was literally the ‘SON OF GOD’, since He had been conceived without a human
father, but by the power of God directly; Mary accepted her call, but she did
not understand, neither knew all the events and things this mission entailed.
But she accepted it by faith alone, trusting in the Wisdom of God who is the
one who called her to her mission.
Under this positive
disposition, Mary listened all what the shepherds said, and meditated about
them in her mind, wondering in the meaning and immensity of the mission her son
was meant to have in this world and the universe (Luke 2:19).
ALL THESE THREE
GROUPS, represent the people of the Gospel.
MARY, represents
the Prophets over which the messianic claim of Christ was based on. She
represents the Torah and the Prophets, chosen before birth for their special
mission.
Mary did not
believe, she ‘KNEW’ JESUS was the Son of God, and served GOD and her own Son as
such. With the attitude of a pious servant, and with the love of a mother.
THE SHEPHERDS,
represent the Apostles, who having a basic initial faith in GOD YHWH, they
reacted positively to the revelation that GOD, granted to them, and became witnesses
of the divine message to the world. They were simple people, going about their
daily work, when suddenly their election became manifested when the saw the angelic
vision, very much like it happened to the 12 apostles of Lord JESUS.
The people that
listened, represent us, the people of the world, that listened to the Shepherds
message, and some will end up believing, while others will not. Very much the
same as people today, who listening the gospel of JESUS from others, some will
reject it, and some will accept it.
BUT IN ALL THOSE
cases, whether chosen as a prophet, or a shepherd or a simple listener, they
all had something that GOD our Maker gave us, and that is impossible to lose,
and is a prerogative of the human race. They all had their FREE WILL.
From St Mary,
through the Shepherds, until the listeners, they all had their free will, and
the opportunity to accept or reject what they were listening.
The same way the
shepherds chose to follow their conscience and not disdain and forgot the angels
and their message.
The same way St
Mary, had the opportunity to accept or reject her call, and she chose to accept
it, and accept it to the end of her life.
The same way the
people there listening to the shepherds, had the opportunity to accept or
reject their testimony; they all, had a choice.
Omar Flores.
Comments
Post a Comment