O Emmanuel

“O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God!”
~~~
O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

1.  O Emmanuel: With Us God!

The seventh “O Antiphon” derives from Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

To get to the heart of this antiphon, it will be necessary to focus on a little Hebrew preposition ‘im, ‘with’. You will recognize ‘im (without the /‘/, which represents a silent Hebrew letter and so is not usually written in English) as the first two letters in the word Immanuel (which becomes Emmanuel by way of Greek influence).

There are a few things we should know about ‘im. First, ‘im is one of several prepositions meaning “with,” in the sense “together with, amongst.” Second, ‘im likes to attach to itself a pronoun object, and when this happens the ‘m’ doubles (somewhat analogous to ‘in’ → ‘inner’). So, for example, “with him” is spelled ‘immô, “with her” ‘immâ, “with you” ‘immekā, “with me” ‘immî, and so on. Third, ‘im occurs 1,093x in the Old Testament, of which about 90 are associated with the Lord, i.e., where the Lord himself is said to be ‘im (with) someone. Some of my favorite examples include Exodus 3:12; Deuteronomy 2:7; 31:6-8; Joshua 1:5, 9, 17; 2 Chronicles 32:6-8; Psalms 23:4 (“for Thou art withme”); 46:7, 11; and Isaiah 41:8-10. All of these are well worth looking up and reading!

From these passages and others like them, we can extrapolate a few important observations: First, the LORD is present ‘im (with) his people, individually and corporately, as Revealer, Provider, Protector, and Savior. Second, it is this reality that marks God’s people as distinct: We are a people whose God is really and truly with us, unlike those who worship make-believe gods, whether ancient or modern (see Deut 4:25-31; Pss 115:1-8; 147:19-20; Isa 41:21-29; 44:9-20; and Acts 17:16-34). Third, it is true that in the mystery of faith, God sometimes seems distant, silent, removed, aloof, withholding needed help (e.g., Pss 13; 44; Job; Hab). In such times we are reminded that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb 11:1). God is still with us even “in the pits,” just not as obviously so as “on the peaks.”

You might be wondering, what does this have to do with Advent? Quite a lot, actually––in fact, absolutely everything! The ‘imtheme comes to fulfillment in the Immanuel of Matthew 1:23. But before we go there, let’s return briefly to the passage which it quotes from the prophet Isaiah and fill in a little of the backstory. Surrounded by enemies––Philistines to the west (remember Goliath!), the age-old pesky Edomites to the south, and a pressuring alliance of neighbors to the north––in desperation King Ahaz of Judah had no apparent recourse but to call for help from the pagan but powerful Assyrians to the east. It was at this traumatic moment that the prophet Isaiah received a divine message to deliver to Ahaz, to the effect that he should turn in faith to Judah’s true Protector, the LORD himself, instead of leaning on political alliance, however expedient. Not known for being moved by the word of the LORD, the king, true to form, was unimpressed with the prophet’s advice. Trust the LORD and not be afraid? Are you kidding? (In this response, Ahaz resembles our own unbelief and panic in those times when we tend to rely on anything and anyone except the LORD, our true Provider and Protector.) Whereupon, the LORD, through the prophet Isaiah, urged him to ask for a sign confirming the prophetic claim that the LORD could be trusted, and his enemies were not to be feared. Ahaz declined the offer under the guise of piety (“I will not put the LORD to the test”), covering up the true basis for his refusal (i.e., fear). In fact, he had already decided on another course of action, having made up his mind to call on the Assyrians for help. And so the LORD responded in condescending grace to the beleaguered and desperate king, here in the form of a promise-sign of deliverance for his covenant people:

Therefore the LORD himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

The promise-sign would consist in a virgin bearing a son to be called Immanuel, “With us God!” (God with us”). It was a sign of blessing and salvation, for in that son God would be with his people.

The Gospel writer and all of Christian interpretation see in that promise more than an immediate fulfillment in the days of King Ahaz and prophet Isaiah. Reading the prophet’s words through a longer-distance lens, it points to an ultimate and climactic fulfillment in the birth of Jesus Christ. It is, in the words of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI, “a word of waiting. There is nothing in its own historical context to correspond to it.”

In that context, then, we first meet the word Immanuel––a compound consisting in three elements: the preposition ‘with’ (‘im) + the pronoun ‘us’ (ānû) + a short form of the title ‘God’ (’ēl) → Im-manu-el → Immanuel = “with us God,” or in idiomatic English “God [is] with us.” It occurs three times in Isaiah (7:14; 8:8, 10), and one more time in the Bible, in Matthew 1:23. It so happens that in language transfer from Hebrew to Greek to English, we end up with Emmanuel; but the meaning is the same.

2.  O Jesus: With us God!

“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
‘Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Immanuel’
(which means, God with us).”

Matthew 1:22-23

Here’s the meaning and wonder of it all: In Jesus, God is with us. In Jesus, God visits planet earth; more than that, God comes here to dwell!

The glory of Christmas, in answer to the anticipation of Advent, is not exhausted in the sentimental aspects––the stuff of which many of our favorite stories, songs, and scenes are made: the angels, the shepherds, the wise men, the crowded inn, the swaddling clothes, the manger––all true and meaningful. Nor does Christmas reduce to a holiday “for family” or “for giving,” as we often hear, although, of course, it encompasses all of these. Nor even is the glory of Christmas summed up in the expression “Jesus’ birthday,” although certainly that is what we celebrate.

The true glory of Advent and Christmas is that Immanuel has become Incarnate! Indeed, God is with us––enfleshed!

Echoes of this theme reverberate throughout the New Testament; in fact, in one way or another, the entire New Testament is an exposition of this theme. A few specific examples will suffice: The entire Gospel narrative is bracketed with this reality, as Matthew 1:23 anticipates 28:20. John 1:1-18 (my favorite “Christmas story”) climaxes in v. 14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The entire fourth Gospel is in fact an expansion of this theme. Again, eleven of St. Paul’s thirteen Letters close with some reference to this idea (e.g., “May the God of grace, love, and peace be with you”). And here’s the grandest of all, in the second to last chapter of the Bible:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away” (Rev 21:1-4).

Truly the wonder of Christmas is the realization that Jesus is born; and in Jesus, God himself is with us––Immanuel! And in that wonder, may this Advent season––what Bishop Barron calls “the great liturgical season of vigilance, of waiting and watching”––be a season of reflection on all the following ways in which God is near us in Jesus Immanuel:

a.  Companionship––In Jesus, our God is with us; we are never alone. The word ‘comfort’ would work as well here. “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt 28:20). Again, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb 13:5). Let that sink in. Is there anything quite so comforting and assuring?

b.  Confidence––In Jesus, our God is with us; we need not fear adversity, the world, or tomorrow. ‘Courage’ would work here as well. See especially Psalms 23 and 46. “Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them; for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Indeed, “If God is for us [Pss 46:1!], who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31)

c.  Contentment––In Jesus, our God is with us; having him, what else finally matters? Or as Asaph expressed it in the context of his crisis of faith, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing upon earth that I desire besides you.” (Pss 73:25) “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Heb 13:5).

d.  Contrition––In Jesus, our God is with us; his holy presence calls us to conversion. The nearer he is to us, and we to him, the brighter the light of his holiness to expose the impurities. This is what David learned, as expressed in his great penitential psalm (Pss 51). See also Proverbs 5:21; Isaiah 6:1-7; and James 4:8 (“Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you men of double mind”).

e.  Communion––In Jesus, our God is with us in Real Presence. In the mystery and the miracle of the Eucharist, Immanuel is made concrete. And so, in the famous Emmaus Road story of Luke 24, we read:

²⁸ So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He appeared to be going further,  ²⁹ but they constrained him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them.  ³⁰ When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them.  ³¹ And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight.  ³² They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”  ³³ And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the Eleven gathered together and those who were with them,  ³⁴ who said, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”  ³⁵ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Jesus vanished, but only after being with them in the Eucharist, and so leaving evidence of his Real Presence. Indeed, Jesus is as present with us in the Eucharist as he was with his disciples at the Last Supper in the Upper Room, on the road to Emmaus, or dying on the Cross 2,000 years ago! Immanuel is still with us––ascended, but very really and gloriously present––in Real Presence! “The Lord accompanies us in many ways, but none as profound as when we encounter him in the Eucharist. On our journey toward eternal life, Christ nourishes us with his very self” (USCCB).

Advent––what a great time to ponder anew just how near to us our Lord really is!

And, to conclude, it’s also a time to consider how we might be the ongoing Immanuel, “God with us,” to others during this Advent season––among our families, fellow-parishioners, those in special need, checkout clerks, work associates, neighbors, . . .

~~~
“O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God!”
~~~
O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

3.  Prayer & Meditation

a. Review the five implications of God’s being with us in Jesus Emmanuel:

• Companionship––In Jesus, our God is with us; we are never alone.
• Confidence––In Jesus, our God is with us; we need not fear adversity, the world, or tomorrow.
• Contentment––In Jesus, our God is with us; having him, what else finally matters?
• Contrition––In Jesus, our God is with us; his holy presence calls us to conversion.
• Communion––In Jesus, our God is with us in Real Presence. In the mystery and the miracle of the Eucharist, Immanuel is made concrete.
  

Which of these touches your point of greatest need at this moment? Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes and your heart to Jesus Emmanuel in a fresh and powerful and transforming way.

b. Now review the lyrics to “O, Come, O, Come, Emmanuel” one more time, replacing the word ‘Israel’ in the second line with your own name. And be sure to do so with heartfelt gratitude. In Jesus Emmanuel, God has come to be with you, to ransom you from any captivity you might be experiencing and to restore the joy of salvation.

c. It is also the Father’s desire that his children become a kind of ongoing incarnation of his Son Jesus, a witness to the fact that “God [is still!] with us.” In this way “evangelization is, in fact, Emmanuel-ization” (Smith). Name some tangible and concrete ways you can be “God with us” to those around you during this Advent season. (Think of family members, pastors, needy parishioners, lonely neighbors, homeless persons, refugees, fellow workers, checkout clerks, widows and widowers, that person you’ve been meaning to thank, someone you need to forgive.)

December 23