Being God’s slave sets you free

The great lesson of Christmas is that by being slaves to God, we are set free, as CATHERINE DE VALENCE explains.

Mary never saw herself as a leader for the people, but as a servant of God, for the people. It was her trust in God and her servanthood, which enabled her fiat yes to God. She considered herself the Lord’s slave, which spoke of her obedience to God.

Consider two slightly different translations of Luke 1:38, Mary’s response to the angel’s annunciation.

Mary said, You see before you the Lord’s servant, let it happen to me as you have said. And the angel left her. (New Jerusalem Bible)

I am the Lord’s slave, said Mary. May it be done to me according to your word. Then the angel left her. (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

The different versions of the Scripture can enable us to see things a bit more clearly.

For example, to be a servant of God is to be slave to righteousness (God). We are all given free will to choose two paths: to be slave to sin, or slave to righteousness. Through Christ Jesus, we are set free from sin, and have been given a New Life of righteousness.

This is God’s ultimate gift of love to us through the birth of Jesus. St Paul put it like this: But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness (Rom 6:17-18)

Advent is a time to reflect, to examine our fidelity to God. It’s a time to repent and to renew our minds and hearts. It’s a time to count the blessings of family, friends and even foes.

Our foes are there to test our unconditional love and forgiveness through Christ. We become witnesses to this and give glory to God. We can bring all we face to the table of grace, for we serve a God who understands our humanity, through Christ Jesus.

We know that Lent is a time for repentance, but Advent is a season for that too, in order to renew ourselves for Christ.

The more we repent of sin, the more we choose to live in righteousness. This is an ongoing journey of self-discovery in Christ.

Jesus asks us to follow him in servanthood: Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life-a ransom for many (Mt 20:26-28)

When Jesus is born in us, we become more Christ-like. As Mary brought Jesus into our world, we too bring Jesus into our world in a spiritual way. We enable him to work in and through us, to serve one another. The gift of love that is born to us is passed on in and through us.

Through Mary’s Immaculate Heart, we have access to Jesus’ Sacred Heart. Through their hearts, we are drawn even closer to God, through serving and loving others unconditionally.

This amazing love is what unites us, prompts us, guides and directs our steps towards servitude to God. This servitude sets us free from sin, giving us freedom to live in peace and harmony with one another.

Christmas is a time to reach out to the marginalised, and to seek reconciliation and peace. No matter what has happened in this past year, know that God can bring good out of negative situations (our wilderness and wildness).

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:18-19).

This Christmas, appreciate this amazing gift that is born to us. Let this season be the reason, for our gratitude of servitude to God.

This Christmas embrace the unity that God’s love brings.

Catherine de Valence writes from Cape Town.