Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, ask a sign of the Lord your God; Let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. Then Isaiah said: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the virgin is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.
Isaiah 7: 10 – 14
These are the first five verses of today’s reading from Isaiah. Once again, we find a reading that ties with the season of Advent or Christmas, yet we discover it here in the second half of Lent. It again reminds us of the miraculous conception of Jesus through the Virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit. It is in and of itself such a profound action of God that He would become one of us so that He could share life with us and become the Lamb of God. He took on our sin and suffering so that we could be reconciled through His great mercy to Himself. Jesus Christ became man so that He could suffer and die for us on a cross. He could not love us any way greater than that. Jesus Himself said, “No greater love has anyone than this: to lay down his life for his friend.”
Let us pray with St. Gregory:
One of three glorified persons equal in power and awe,
who descended from on high to here below,
who was indeed by nature indistinguishable from those below,
without relinquishing the throne of glory,
without leaving the watchful gaze of the parent of love,
merely entering the vessel of the virgin womb purely and coming out
joined with the body inseparable in essence,
without any flaw in his humanity and lacking nothing in divinity,
one and only Son of the only Father and the first born of the Mother of God,
Virgin Bearer of the Lord, creator becoming a true man as originally created,
not in the fallen state of mortals, but new and splendid with the sublime glory of kings,
not seen in the ages or existing in time.
You truly fulfilled the yearnings of those who prayed to you.
Merciful Lord, who loves mankind, may you always show the favor of your life giving will
and your long-suffering patience toward me, a sinner.
To you glory forever.
Amen
Prayer 34 E, M
