O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God
In many ways this final O Antiphon, O Emmanuel, sums up and synthesizes the ones that have come before. There are many titles from Scripture that are applied to Jesus Christ, from both the Old and New Testaments, but there is only one Christ. Whether we say that He is the LORD - Adonai, God's Wisdom, the Son of Man or Son of David, they all point us to the reality of the Incarnation. He is the image of the invisible God, the first born of creation (Col. 1:15), who emptied himself, coming in our human likeness (Phil. 2:7) to save us from our sins (Mt. 1:21). He is the ultimate, eloquent expression of the Father's love. God searched the garden looking for Adam after the Fall (Gen. 3:8-9), spoke to the Patriarchs and sent prophets, in hopes of our return. Finally, in Jesus we have God's Wisdom, Lordly authority, with its implied sovereignty over Israel and the world, embodied. Jesus is the rising Dawn that enlightens out hearts. In coming to us in the line of Jesse, He shares our humanity while possessing complete divinity. He is truly Emmanuel, God with us.
The main origin of this title comes from Isaiah 7. At this point the Davidic kingdom is split in two, with the northern tribes having established the Kingdom of Israel in Samaria. Judah is the Southern Kingdom, centered in Jerusalem, and at this time they are being threatened by the combined forces of the Northern Kingdom and Syria. God, through the prophet, assures King Ahaz that he will be given a sign, the birth of a successor who will succeed him on the throne. He need not fear, but put his trust in God, and Judah would be delivered from their present danger and endure, with a Davidic king on the throne.
We know though that the Southern Kingdom would eventually fall and the Davidic line come to an end. In chapter nine the "child born to us," (scholars debate over whether this is the same as the promised Emmanuel of chapter 7) is described as being a Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. A tall order for any mere mortal to fill. Could the prophet have had another in mind, along with the contemporary monarch, when he spoke this oracle? Again, I'll leave the debates to the scholars. The Church, for her part, has long seen these prophesies as finding their culmination in Jesus: Emmanuel - God with us who came to save His people from their sins.
As disciples we are called to have a long term vision. God makes his promises, but often fulfills them in unexpected ways. During much of the heart of Advent we mediated on John the Baptist. He was the precursor who came in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way for Jesus' public ministry. When asked, he denied being the Messiah, but even demurred from being identified with the prophet. Yet Jesus tells us flat out that his cousin was indeed Elijah, a messenger rejected. Was John being modest when he said that he wasn't taking Elijah's place, or did he not really know that that was the function he was playing in Salvation History? Again, I'll leave that question to others more qualified than myself. It's for us to keep our eyes open, to see the Lord working in our everyday lives, in unexpected ways.
At Christmas we celebrate God coming down from on high, entering our history in a particular way. God had always been close to us, but because of sin He seemed distant. He wanted to leave no doubts that He loved us, and in Jesus we have the proof. He came in an unexpected way, not in glory, but in poverty. He didn't conquer death by inflicting violence, but allowed Himself to endure the cruel brutality of the Passion. He continues to remind us of His presence through the Eucharist - His Body and Blood that appears to us as simple bread and wine. He forgives sins through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
He has made the promise that, if we persevere in faith, we will also share in the Resurrection of the just. Because 2,000 years have passed, it's tempting to question: When will all be completed? Advent is here to remind us to keep on looking forward in faith. It also reminds us to live the Kingdom now, being a positive leaven that influences and changes the world. Through it all, God is with us. He isn't far away, but is very close. May our hearts be ready to receive the Dawn from on high. May we be guided by His holy wisdom. May he be Lord of our hearts. May Emmanuel be praised now and forever!
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