Sermon Tone Analysis

Title

The Pun and the Messiah

Outline

I rather like wordplays

Puns and the like go with my British background

God likes them too, often with dark humor

Our first reading is definitely not dark humor

David is at rest from war and turns his mind to kingly construction

He lives in a house of cedar, fit for a king, and wants to build a house for God of greater honor, for it is unseemly that God (the ark) lives in a tent.

While the prophet Nathan is initially positive towards the pious desire, God says, “Who are you to build me a house?”

Then God details how he has given David all he has and will give more peace, prosperity, and security, but when it comes to houses, “the LORD will make a house for you.”

Not a temple, but a dynasty, but a dynasty with two reference points, the immediate son, Solomon, who would need chastisement, and a future son for whom it would be literally true, “I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me.”

This echoes through the father-son language used about Jesus.

And because of this, “Your house and your kingdom are firm forever before me.”

Now read spiritually, hear the houses, David thinks “house of cedar” and God says “house of flesh, your flesh.”

David thinks of getting the ark out of a tent, and God says his Son will be the New Temple, but a temple that was inside the Marian ark of the covenant.

Zachariah sees fulfillment

He, filled with the Spirit, sees his baby as a sign that “[God] has raised up a horn for our salvation within the house of David his servant.”

His baby will be the forerunner, “you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways.”

How will he prepare?

By calling the people to purity, to repentance and forgiveness: “to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.”

For Zachariah the Messianic “horn” is within the house of David, but he will in fact turn out to be the new house.

For Zachariah the result will be freedom from enemies, freedom for worship, but in fact the enemies will be converted into worshippers within the New Covenant.

Then, what does this mean for us?

We are within what David would have viewed as a house of cedar beyond his wildest dreams.

But in fact you are John the Baptist, OP, going before the return of the Lord to prepare his way, preparing a people, whether children, youths, or the adults you live around and work with.

You are dedicated to the ark that has within her the new house, the new temple, that will give himself for us and does so still in each Eucharist, and in so doing will build us into the Temple that is his body, the Jerusalem above that is the Holy of Holies.

Could you have a loftier calling?

David’s jaw dropped at the promise as he understood it and he did not get most of it.

Zachariah rejoiced, but left the deepest understanding to us.

And yet God still smiles at his wordplay, realizing that we think we get it, but the deepest reality is beyond anything that we can ask or imagine.

Readings

FIRST READING

2 Samuel 7:1–5, 8b–12, 14a, 16

1 After the king had taken up residence in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side, 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent!” 3 Nathan answered the king, “Whatever is in your heart, go and do, for the LORD is with you.” 4 But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan: 5 Go and tell David my servant, Thus says the LORD: Is it you who would build me a house to dwell in?

8 Now then, speak thus to my servant David, Thus says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to become ruler over my people Israel.

9 I was with you wherever you went, and I cut down all your enemies before you.

And I will make your name like that of the greatest on earth.

10 I will assign a place for my people Israel and I will plant them in it to dwell there; they will never again be disturbed, nor shall the wicked ever again oppress them, as they did at the beginning, 11 and from the day when I appointed judges over my people Israel.

I will give you rest from all your enemies.

Moreover, the LORD also declares to you that the LORD will make a house for you: 12 when your days have been completed and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, sprung from your loins, and I will establish his kingdom.

14 I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me.

If he does wrong, I will reprove him with a human rod and with human punishments;

16 Your house and your kingdom are firm forever before me; your throne shall be firmly established forever.

RESPONSE

Psalm 89:2

2 I will sing of your mercy forever, LORD

proclaim your faithfulness through all ages.

PSALM

Psalm 89:2–5, 27, 29

2 I will sing of your mercy forever, LORD

proclaim your faithfulness through all ages.

3 For I said, “My mercy is established forever;

my faithfulness will stand as long as the heavens.

4 I have made a covenant with my chosen one;

I have sworn to David my servant:

5 I will make your dynasty stand forever

and establish your throne through all ages.”

Selah

27 He shall cry to me, ‘You are my father,

my God, the Rock of my salvation!’

29 Forever I will maintain my mercy for him;

my covenant with him stands firm.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Text

GOSPEL

Luke 1:67–79

67 Then Zechariah his father, filled with the holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:

68 “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

for he has visited and brought redemption to his people.

69 He has raised up a horn for our salvation

within the house of David his servant,

70 even as he promised through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old:

71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,

72 to show mercy to our fathers

and to be mindful of his holy covenant

73 and of the oath he swore to Abraham our father,

and to grant us that, 74 rescued from the hand of enemies,

without fear we might worship him 75 in holiness and righteousness

before him all our days.

76 And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High,

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

77 to give his people knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins,

78 because of the tender mercy of our God

by which the daybreak from on high will visit us

79 to shine on those who sit in darkness and death’s shadow,

to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

Notes

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2022 | ADVENT

DECEMBER 24

MASS IN THE MORNING

YEARS 1 & 2 | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

On the same date: Nativity of the Lord, Vigil

First Reading 2 Samuel 7:1–5, 8b–12, 14a, 16

Response Psalm 89:2

Psalm Psalm 89:2–5, 27, 29

Gospel Acclamation Text

Gospel Luke 1:67–79

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