Emmanuel: His Name is God with us

GUEST EDITORIAL BY FR PATRICK RAKEKETSI CSS – O Emmanuel, is the seventh and last , O antiphon. Emmanuel is the Greek form of the Hebrew Immanuel, a compound name of the words immanu, meaning with us, and El, meaning God.

According to the Prophet Isaiah, Emmanuel, born of a virgin, will come as a divine response to the impatience of the people of Israel about their God (Isaiah 7:14). Thus the name Emmanuel is a guarantee of God’s presence and provision throughout human history and the destiny of the human pilgrimage.

The name Emmanuel is given to Jesus (Matthew 1:23) to confirm the presence of God among his people, and to fulfil the covenant promise to Moses: I will be with you (Exodus 3:12). Before his ascension into heaven, Jesus assured his disciples: I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

Indeed, God is always with us. Christmas is a constant reminder about Emmanuel, the continuous memorial of his presence and the anticipation of his second coming.

When they least expected him, Jesus came, born in humble circumstances, reminding us of the virtue of humility for all humanity.

Jesus breaks into our lives. He comes to us in various ways: in times of joy, sadness, despair or hope. When we seek him in prayer, he comes to rejoice with us, to comfort us, to share humanity with us. Jesus is part of our ubuntu; he is our Saviour.

Because he is God among us, Jesus fulfils our salvation.

In the epistles of Christmas season, we are told that salvation has been given and now has appeared among us. It is offered to all people, and it brings with it the hope and promise of righteousness.

Salvation is not our achievement, it is a free gift of God. Without Emmanuel, there is no salvation. If God is not with us, we are not saved.

Emmanuel and Mercy

This moment of Emmanuel has a particular significance in this Year of Mercy.

Pope Francis has expressed his wish that the jubilee be a living experience of the closeness of the Father, whose tenderness is almost tangible, so that the faith of every believer may be strengthened and thus testimony to it be ever more effective.

The pope is asking the Church to rediscover the richness encompassed by the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. The experience of mercy, indeed, becomes visible in the witness of concrete signs as Jesus himself taught us.

Jesus’ continuous presence confirms his mercy upon us. Jesus is Emmanuel, the one who reveals the love, mercy and friendship of God. He does not come to condemn us. He is like a refiner, purifying us as precious gold and silver in the fire of his love. We are invited us to show mercy to one another, to express forgiveness and meekness to each other.

Even though to many people Christmas looks more of a market-oriented event of shopping sprees, holidays and food for many people, it remains an event of faith. It marks a moment of God in our lives.

The Christmas Reality: God with us

The Christmas cycle is a proclamation of the presence of God in human history. It tells us that something definitive has happened in history, and it is a work of God. This moment is a gift that can be received by all people of good will, a universal gift extending to all the nations.

This gift, when received in faith, forms us into a community whose centre is Emmanuel, God with us.

And so, during Christmas, we need to affirm our faith in him. He brings joy to the families, he comforts those who are afflicted, he encourages those in distress and depression, he unites those who are divided, he heals those who are sick, he empowers the marginalised.

His name is Emmanuel, God with us.

Fr Patrick Rakeketsi CSS is the associate secretary-general of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference.