20th December - O Key of David
“O Key of David and Sceptre of Israel, what you open no one else can close again;
what you close no one can open.
O come to lead the captive from prison;
free those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.”
In the time of the prophet Isaiah, the king of Damascus and the king of Israel wanted to draw the king of Judah, Ahaz, into a coalition against Assyria. When he refused, the anti-Assyrian alliance attacked him and Ahaz, frightened, turned to the Assyrian for help. Isaiah opposed the request for help from the king of Assyria and exhorted Ahaz to put his trust only in the Lord.
And the Lord told Ahaz through Isaiah, “Ask the Lord you God for a sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights above.” Feigning piety, Ahaz said, “No, I will not put the Lord to the test.” (Is 7:10-12) The reason why he didn’t want a sign was because once the sign was given, it would, in a sense, bind him to the truth, bind him to something other than what he was already intending to do. How dark was his darkness! How bound was he in the imprisonment of the
shadows! Then God through Isaiah told him what sign he would give: “The Lord himself, therefore, will give you a sign. It is this: the maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son whom she will call Emmanuel, a name which means “God is with us.” (Is 7:13-14)
And later he described the rite of enthronement of this future king, “I shall place the key of David’s palace on his shoulder; when he opens, no one will close, when he closes, no one will open.” (Is 22:22) In the Book of Apocalypse, it is said that the one who has the key is Jesus. And Mary, who lived in the light from the first moment of her conception, showed how those who live in the light, who are full of grace, who are with the Lord who is with us, respond to God, “I am the handmaid of
the Lord, let what you have said be done to me.” (Lk 1:38) She shows us clearly how to respond to God, by placing ourselves in his hand, by allowing our whole lives to develop in accordance with his word.
When asked, “Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord or who shall stand in his holy place”, the Psalm responds, “The man with clean hands and pure heart, who desires not worthless things.” Mary, again, shows that to live in the light, she desired what God desires, wanting her whole life to develop according to his word, rejoicing and magnifying him. Her heart was pure, seeing God in ordinary circumstances of life, contemplating and pondering them in her heart. And she who is sinless is worthy to hold the Son of God in her hands.
So today, let us prepare to receive the Key of David, Jesus, within us and let us ask him for all the graces he knows we need, to become, like Mary, letting our lives develop according to his word; to have sinless hands, pure hearts and holy deeds, to leave darkness behind and move forward into the light.
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