Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year A
Isaiah 7:10-16, Romans 1:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25, Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18, 1 Nephi 11:16-22
The Collect: Heavenly Father, purify us through the Spirit, that thy Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; and if not a mansion, then a manger . . . for there is room for him with us.
We have almost arrived. Now the fourth candle is lit and we can properly consider the coming of Christ at Christmas. This is why I love Advent and wish we observed it better: Christmas is such a joy but let us first wait and prepare. Patience eludes us in our modern age, alas.
As usual, the Old Testament reading, if read fully, is provocative. We well know the sign — “a virgin shall conceive” — but what of the next line? “He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.” This may be the Immanuel, God with us, but he is not a superhero like the mythical Siddartha who walked and talked from birth. Instead, this Immanuel will be a fully human baby with much mewling and puking to do before he comes of age. An eater of curds and honey not ambrosia. A man as much as the Son of Man. One who will descend below all things to save us from all things, the “condescension of God.”
“Restore us, O God of hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved” — how wondrous a promise! This Jesus “through whom we have received grace” . . . here he comes: Yeshua (“He saves”), “for he will save his people from their sins.”
By Common Consent, a Mormon Blog 
MoTab version of the hymn:
Marvelous, RJH! I love the manger/mansion play in the Collect.
A great hymn!
Short and powerful! I’m glad you’re so many time zones ahead that I can see this tonight and give it some thought before tomorrow.
“a fully human baby with much mewling and puking to do ” — ah yes, no better description of the condescension of God.
Buddha was a Superhero indeed…The Lord can be no less. The New Testament calls Jesus “The Root of David”, Buddhist texts say Buddha is The Root of ALL!
Bhagavaṃ mūlakā no, bhante, dhammā, bhagavaṃnettikā
bhagavaṃpaṭisaraṇā.
Translation:
For us, Lord, all things have the Blessed One as their root, their guide, their refuge.
Atthinukhopariyāyasuttaṃ
Jesus just like Buddha taught infinite love! May all Christians have a beautiful Christmas! Goodwill to all!
Saddha: thank you so much for bringing a Buddhist perspective to this post. Goodwill to all, indeed!