IN THIS Sunday’s readings we encounter Jesus sharing our humanity. Jesus is the Son of God, yet we know that on that first Christmas day, he humbled himself to be born as a human baby in flesh and blood. Conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, he had Mary as his mother and Joseph as his foster father.
In the gospel (Luke 2:22-40) we see his parents, this young Jewish couple, going to the temple to do what the Law of Moses requires: “Consecrate to me every first born; whatever opens the womb among the Israelites, whether of human being or of beast, belongs to me.” (Exodus 13:2). Why so?
In the same chapter of Exodus (v. 14-16), Moses explains why this had to be done. It is a sign of how God, with a strong hand, liberated the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, killing every first born of people and animals alike when the Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let them go. In addition, it must also be pointing out to Jesus, God’s firstborn, consecrating himself to God and offering his own life, that we may be freed from the bondage of sin.
Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law could have been exempted from this ritual. But Mary and Joseph, following the will of God, were humble enough to obey the Law. Indeed a great example of humility “far-fetched from us who always invoke status or privilege to be exempted from the rule or at least enjoy special treatment.”
Elsewhere, we see the similar acts of humility in Jesus being born in a manger, in his growing up as a carpenter’s son, in his being baptized by John the Baptist when he could have baptized the baptizer, in being poor when he had owned all the riches of heaven and earth from the very beginning, and in being punished for crimes he did not commit when he could have chosen to punish us all sinners, including the soldiers who nailed him to the cross, with one sweep.
Why did God choose to share in our humanity? The Second Reading (Hebrews 2:14-18) had this to say. “Since the children share in blood and flesh, Jesus likewise shared in them, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the Devil, and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life. Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham; therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.”
Moving forward, the same theme was reiterated, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.” (Hebrews 4:15-16).
Jesus became like us in order to redeem us. He shared in our humanity so we can share in his Divinity.
While we are still on our journey in this world towards our eternal home in heaven, life may not always be easy. Even as believers of Christ we still suffer with all the rest the hardships brought about by our broken world “a world created as beautiful by God but corrupted by the devil. But the good news is that we have refuge in Jesus,” God’s firstborn who has a perfect knowledge of our human condition, for he himself has experienced it. We have a God who loves us and who is always ready to lift us up when we fall. And we have a God who, in Jesus, showed us that by his grace we can overcome.
Like Simeon and Anna who, on the presentation of the baby Jesus at the temple, met him with expectation and gladness, let us also meet Jesus our Immanuel, the God who is with us, in worship and thanksgiving.