A Reflection on Isaiah 2:2–5, Isaiah 7:10–15, and Luke 1:26–38 in the Spirit of Ember Wednesday in Advent
Feria IV Quattuor Temporum in Adventu ~ II. classis
As we enter the sacred stillness of Ember Wednesday in Advent, the Church draws us into a deep contemplation of both prophecy and fulfillment. The liturgy presents us with a rich tapestry of readings: Isaiah 2:2–5, which proclaims the elevation of the Lord’s mountain; Isaiah 7:10–15, foretelling the Virgin who shall bear Emmanuel; and Luke 1:26–38, in which the Angel Gabriel announces the fulfillment of that prophecy to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The weight of these texts, traditionally meditated upon during this Ember Day—a day of fasting, prayer, and reflection—invites us to a more profound interior preparation for the Coming of the Lord.
The Mountain of the Lord: Desire for Ascent (Isaiah 2:2–5)
“And in the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on the top of the mountains… and all nations shall flow unto it.” (Isa. 2:2)
Isaiah paints the image of Mount Zion exalted above all hills—a vision not only of Jerusalem, but of the Church, the new Zion, raised above all by the Incarnation. The mountain is Christ Himself, and His Church, the house established upon the rock. The Fathers of the Church interpreted this passage spiritually: it is the soul’s ascent to God, the lifting of the heart to things above.
St. Jerome writes: “What is this mountain but the Lord Christ, of Whom Daniel also says: ‘A stone was cut out of a mountain without hands’?” (cf. Dan. 2:34). He continues, “The mountain is Christ, and the house built upon it is the Church.”
This passage, read on Ember Wednesday, invites us to consider how our hearts must ascend—must go “up to the mountain of the Lord”—through penance, through longing, and through grace. In this sacred season, we are not passive observers of the mystery, but pilgrims being drawn toward it.
The Sign of the Virgin: Hope Rooted in Promise (Isaiah 7:10–15)
“Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel.” (Isa. 7:14)
In this second prophecy, the Lord speaks through Isaiah to the wicked King Achaz, offering him a sign, which he refuses. Yet God gives it anyway—a promise not for a single king, but for all mankind. The sign is the Virgin who shall conceive: Mary Most Holy.
St. Irenaeus, writing in the 2nd century, defends the perpetual virginity of Mary and the miraculous nature of this sign, stating: “The Lord Himself gave a sign, not a sign on earth, but from the height of heaven, beyond the order of nature, that a Virgin should conceive and bear a son.”
The sign is not only miraculous but redemptive. The Fathers often contrasted Eve and Mary: where Eve doubted and disobeyed, Mary believed and obeyed. Thus, the Virgin’s womb becomes the place where the divine promise is fulfilled.
During this Ember Day of penance and waiting, this prophecy directs our gaze to Mary, in whom all of salvation history finds its hinge. She is the Virgin foretold, the bearer of the world’s Hope.
The Annunciation: The Fiat of the Virgin (Luke 1:26–38)
“Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word.” (Luke 1:38)
In the Gospel, the prophecy of Isaiah becomes flesh. The Angel Gabriel greets Mary with the words, “Hail, full of grace,” and announces the fulfillment of the ancient promise. Here, in silence and lowliness, the Word is spoken into the womb of the Virgin. God enters His creation—not with noise, but with humility.
St. Ambrose marvels at the Virgin’s purity and faith: “Mary did not desire the dignity of the name without the reality, she did not seek honor without modesty… She who had been chosen to bear God, first learned to be humble.”
Mary’s fiat—her “let it be done”—becomes the door through which the Redeemer enters the world. In her yes, the rebellion of Eve is undone. In her faith, the faithlessness of Israel is answered. She becomes the Mountain spoken of by Isaiah, the place where heaven touches earth.
For us, on this Ember Wednesday, Mary’s fiat calls us to echo her readiness. In this day of fasting and silence, we seek to be like her: receptive, surrendered, prepared.
Ember Days: A Time of Spiritual Tilling
The Quattuor Tempora, or Ember Days, are a sacred rhythm in the traditional Roman calendar—four sets of seasonal days for fasting and praying, marking the transitions of the year. The Advent Ember Days are especially poignant, as they invite us to quiet the soul and till the spiritual soil before the Nativity of Christ.
St. Leo the Great encourages us to embrace this time: “The exercise of fasting and almsgiving is a purification for both body and soul. Let us be zealous in these observances, for by them we are made worthy to receive the mysteries of Christ.”
This Wednesday, we fast not only from food, but from distraction. We listen to prophecy, we stand with the Virgin, we await the coming of Emmanuel. The Church, in her maternal wisdom, gives us this day to prepare not merely in word, but in body and spirit.
Conclusion: Walking in the Light of the Lord
The readings today move from prophecy to promise to fulfillment. The mountain of the Lord is raised before our eyes, the Virgin is promised, and the Angel brings glad tidings. This is not mere memory—it is liturgical reality. The Church walks anew each year through this mystery, not only to recall it, but to be renewed in it.
“O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.” (Isa. 2:5)
Let us walk. Let us ascend the mountain. Let us receive the sign. Let us make room for Emmanuel.