Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary
Lectionary: 461
Lectionary: 461
This is the word of the LORD that
came to Jonah, son of Amittai:
“Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and preach against it;
their wickedness has come up before me.”
But Jonah made ready to flee to Tarshish away from the LORD.
He went down to Joppa, found a ship going to Tarshish,
paid the fare, and went aboard to journey with them to Tarshish,
away from the LORD.
The LORD, however, hurled a violent wind upon the sea,
and in the furious tempest that arose
the ship was on the point of breaking up.
Then the mariners became frightened and each one cried to his god.
To lighten the ship for themselves, they threw its cargo into the sea.
Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship,
and lay there fast asleep.
The captain came to him and said, “What are you doing asleep?
Rise up, call upon your God!
Perhaps God will be mindful of us so that we may not perish.”
Then they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots
to find out on whose account we have met with this misfortune.”
So they cast lots, and thus singled out Jonah.
“Tell us,” they said, “what is your business?
Where do you come from?
What is your country, and to what people do you belong?”
Jonah answered them, “I am a Hebrew,
I worship the LORD, the God of heaven,
who made the sea and the dry land.”
Now the men were seized with great fear and said to him,
“How could you do such a thing!–
They knew that he was fleeing from the LORD,
because he had told them.–
They asked, “What shall we do with you,
that the sea may quiet down for us?”
For the sea was growing more and more turbulent.
Jonah said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,
that it may quiet down for you;
since I know it is because of me
that this violent storm has come upon you.”
Still the men rowed hard to regain the land, but they could not,
for the sea grew ever more turbulent.
Then they cried to the LORD: “We beseech you, O LORD,
let us not perish for taking this man’s life;
do not charge us with shedding innocent blood,
for you, LORD, have done as you saw fit.”
Then they took Jonah and threw him into the sea,
and the sea’s raging abated.
Struck with great fear of the LORD,
the men offered sacrifice and made vows to him.
But the LORD sent a large fish, that swallowed Jonah;
and Jonah remained in the belly of the fish
three days and three nights.
From the belly of the fish Jonah prayed
to the LORD, his God.
Then the LORD commanded the fish to spew Jonah upon the shore.
“Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and preach against it;
their wickedness has come up before me.”
But Jonah made ready to flee to Tarshish away from the LORD.
He went down to Joppa, found a ship going to Tarshish,
paid the fare, and went aboard to journey with them to Tarshish,
away from the LORD.
The LORD, however, hurled a violent wind upon the sea,
and in the furious tempest that arose
the ship was on the point of breaking up.
Then the mariners became frightened and each one cried to his god.
To lighten the ship for themselves, they threw its cargo into the sea.
Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship,
and lay there fast asleep.
The captain came to him and said, “What are you doing asleep?
Rise up, call upon your God!
Perhaps God will be mindful of us so that we may not perish.”
Then they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots
to find out on whose account we have met with this misfortune.”
So they cast lots, and thus singled out Jonah.
“Tell us,” they said, “what is your business?
Where do you come from?
What is your country, and to what people do you belong?”
Jonah answered them, “I am a Hebrew,
I worship the LORD, the God of heaven,
who made the sea and the dry land.”
Now the men were seized with great fear and said to him,
“How could you do such a thing!–
They knew that he was fleeing from the LORD,
because he had told them.–
They asked, “What shall we do with you,
that the sea may quiet down for us?”
For the sea was growing more and more turbulent.
Jonah said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,
that it may quiet down for you;
since I know it is because of me
that this violent storm has come upon you.”
Still the men rowed hard to regain the land, but they could not,
for the sea grew ever more turbulent.
Then they cried to the LORD: “We beseech you, O LORD,
let us not perish for taking this man’s life;
do not charge us with shedding innocent blood,
for you, LORD, have done as you saw fit.”
Then they took Jonah and threw him into the sea,
and the sea’s raging abated.
Struck with great fear of the LORD,
the men offered sacrifice and made vows to him.
But the LORD sent a large fish, that swallowed Jonah;
and Jonah remained in the belly of the fish
three days and three nights.
From the belly of the fish Jonah prayed
to the LORD, his God.
Then the LORD commanded the fish to spew Jonah upon the shore.
Responsorial PsalmJON 2:3, 4, 5, 8
R. You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord.
Out of my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me;
From the midst of the nether world I cried for help,
and you heard my voice.
R. You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord.
For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the sea,
and the flood enveloped me;
All your breakers and your billows
passed over me.
R. You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord.
Then I said, “I am banished from your sight!
yet would I again look upon your holy temple.”
R. You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord.
When my soul fainted within me,
I remembered the LORD;
My prayer reached you
in your holy temple.
R. You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord.
Out of my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me;
From the midst of the nether world I cried for help,
and you heard my voice.
R. You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord.
For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the sea,
and the flood enveloped me;
All your breakers and your billows
passed over me.
R. You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord.
Then I said, “I am banished from your sight!
yet would I again look upon your holy temple.”
R. You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord.
When my soul fainted within me,
I remembered the LORD;
My prayer reached you
in your holy temple.
R. You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord.
GospelLK 10:25-37
There was a scholar of the law who
stood up to test Jesus and said,
“Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law?
How do you read it?”
He said in reply,
“You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself.”
He replied to him, “You have answered correctly;
do this and you will live.”
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,
“And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied,
“A man fell victim to robbers
as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road,
but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place,
and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim,
poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.
Then he lifted him up on his own animal,
took him to an inn, and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins
and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,
‘Take care of him.
If you spend more than what I have given you,
I shall repay you on my way back.’
Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”
Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
“Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law?
How do you read it?”
He said in reply,
“You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself.”
He replied to him, “You have answered correctly;
do this and you will live.”
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,
“And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied,
“A man fell victim to robbers
as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road,
but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place,
and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim,
poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.
Then he lifted him up on his own animal,
took him to an inn, and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins
and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,
‘Take care of him.
If you spend more than what I have given you,
I shall repay you on my way back.’
Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”
Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Meditation: "Go and do likewise"
If God is all-loving and compassionate, then why is there so much
suffering and evil in this world? Many agnostics refuse to believe
in God because of this seemingly imponderable problem. If God is love then evil
and suffering must be eliminated in all its forms. What is God's answer to this
human dilemma? Jesus' parable about a highway robbery gives us a helpful hint.
Jesus told this dramatic story in response to a devout Jew who wanted to
understand how to apply God's great commandment of love to his everyday life
circumstances. In so many words this religious-minded Jew said: "I want to
love God as best as I can and I want to love my neighbor as well. But how do I
know that I am fulfilling my duty to love my neighbor as myself?" Jesus
must have smiled when he heard this man challenge him to explain one's duty
towards their neighbor. For the Jewish believer the law of love was plain and
simple: "treat your neighbor as you would treat yourself." The real
issue for this believer was the correct definition of who is "my
neighbor". He understood "neighbor" to mean
one's fellow Jew who belonged to the same covenant which God made with the
people of Israel. Up to a certain point, Jesus agreed with this sincere expert
but, at the same time, he challenged him to see that God's view of neighbor
went far beyond his narrow definition.
Jesus
told a parable to show how wide God's love and mercy is towards every fellow
human being. Jesus's story of a brutal highway robbery was all too familiar to
his audience. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho went through a narrow winding
valley surrounded by steep rocky cliffs. Many wealthy Jews from Jerusalem had
winter homes in Jerico. This narrow highway was dangerous and notorious for its
robbers who could easily ambush their victim and escape into the hills. No one
in his right mind would think of traveling through this dangerous highway
alone. It was far safer to travel with others for protection and defense.
So why
did the religious leaders refuse to give any help when they saw a half-dead
victim lying by the roadside? Didn't they recognize that this victim was their
neighbor? And why did a Samaritan, an outsider who was despised by the Jews,
treat this victim with special care at his own expense as he would care for his
own family? Who was the real neighbor who showed brotherly compassion and
mercy? Jesus makes the supposed villain, the despised Samaritan, the merciful
one as an example for the status conscious Jews. Why didn't the priest and
Levite stop to help? The priest probably didn't want to risk the possibility of
ritual impurity. His piety got in the way of charity. The Levite approached
close to the victim, but stopped short of actually helping him. Perhaps he
feared that bandits were using a decoy to ambush him. The Levite put personal
safety ahead of saving his neighbor.
What does
Jesus' story tell us about true love for one's neighbor? First, we must be
willing to help even if others brought trouble on themselves through their own
fault or negligence. Second, our love and concern to help others in need must
be practical. Good intentions and showing pity, or emphathizing with others,
are not enough. And lastly, our love for others must be as wide and as
inclusive as God's love. God excludes no one from his care and concern. God's
love is unconditional. So we must be ready to do good to others for their sake,
just as God is good to us. Jesus not only taught God's way of love, but he
showed how far God was willing to go to share in our suffering and to restore
us to wholeness of life and happiness. Jesus overcame sin, suffering, and death
through his victory on the cross. His death brought us freedom from slavery to
sin and the promise of everlasting life with God. He willingly shared in our suffering
to bring us to the source of true healing and freedom from sin and oppression.
True compassion not only identifies and emphathizes with the one who is in
pain, but takes that pain on oneself in order to bring freedom and restoration.
Jesus truly identified with our plight, and he took the burden of our sinful
condition upon himself. He showed us the depths of God's love and compassion,
by sharing in our suffering and by offering his life as an atoning sacrifice
for our sins upon the cross. His suffering is redemptive because it brings us
healing and restoration and the fulness of eternal life. God offers us true
freedom from every form of oppression, sin, and suffering. And that way is
through the cross of Jesus Christ. Are you ready to embrace the cross of
Christ, to suffer for his sake, and to lay down your life out of love for your
neighbor?
"Lord
Jesus, may your love always be the foundation of my life. Free me from every
fear and selfish-concern that I may freely give myself in loving service to others,
even to the point of laying my life down for their sake."
 Jesus Breaks the Habit of Putting Limits on Our Love |
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Memorial of Our Lady
of the Rosary
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Father James
Swanson, LC
Luke 10:25-37
There was a scholar of the law who stood up
to test Jesus and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal
life?" Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you
read it?" He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with
all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." He replied to him,
"You have answered correctly; do this and you will live." But
because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my
neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man fell victim to robbers as he went
down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off
leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when
he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the
place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a
Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged
them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared
for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the
innkeeper with the instruction, ´Take care of him. If you spend more than
what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.´ Which of these
three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers´ victim?" He
answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus said to him,
"Go and do likewise."
Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the master of the
universe, and yet you wish to listen to me and guide me. You know all things
past, present and future, and yet you respect my freedom to choose you. Holy
Trinity, you are completely happy and fulfilled on your own, and yet you have
generously brought us into existence. You are our fulfillment. Thank you for
the gift of yourself. I offer the littleness of myself in return, knowing you
are pleased with what I have to give.
Petition: Lord, help me to be like the Good Samaritan.
1. Love Our Neighbor Above Ourselves: The people listening to Jesus would all
admit that they should love God above all things. Maybe many didn’t practice
it well, but they at least pretended to love him outwardly by living his
commandments. Love of neighbor was another matter. The Jewish Law of the
Talion put a limit on vengeful action: “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a
tooth.” But Jesus wants to take things to a whole new level – the level of
brotherly love. He wants us to live a love for others inspired by the love he
showed for us on the cross. We were his enemies, addicted to sin. He owed us nothing,
yet he died for our sake. In times past, it was common to abuse the poor and
the handicapped as people cursed by God on account of some sin. Now, Jesus
proposes to love all, regardless of their condition. Do I strive to love this
way?
2. It’s Not Enough to Love Those Close to
Me: Probably most of us,
like those listening to Jesus, accept that we need to love and serve God, and
obey the commandments. But when it comes to loving others, we fail. Sometimes
it seems that I have a difficult time loving even those who are closest to
me. Those I see on a daily basis are often the ones that have to bear the
worst in me. They suffer the most from my impatience, anger and lack of
self-control. Why does this happen? Is it because the love I have for my
family and closest friends is a selfish love? Is it because I am looking for
what they can do for me instead of what I could be doing for them? Love’s
response should always be that I haven’t done enough, that I can never do
enough – because real love has no limits.
3. Love Your Enemies: Jesus also asks us to love our enemies. In
the parable, the victim receives help from someone he, as a Jew, would have
considered to be inferior and an enemy – a Samaritan. Although their lands
were adjoining, historical circumstances caused them to carry grudges against
each other and avoid each other as much as possible. Yet it is a Samaritan
whom Jesus makes the hero of the parable. In seeing the man’s distress, and
stopping to help and care for him, Jesus makes him the image of himself. St.
Augustine says that the Samaritan represents Jesus and the victim represents
humanity. When we couldn’t help ourselves, when we were estranged from God’s
friendship because of our sins, God in his love stopped to help us. This is the
love Jesus wants us to practice – the same love he practiced on the cross.
"Go and do likewise," he tells us.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, I am sorry for accepting your love for
me on the cross while failing to love others in the same way. Don’t let me
get discouraged by my little daily setbacks as I try to love more, but
encourage me to be more like you, to be a Good Samaritan to all I meet.
Resolution: I will remove the limits I have placed on
loving someone close to me – my spouse, children, parents, brothers and
sisters, close friends, co-workers – and be patient and understanding at
moments when I don’t feel like loving.
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, LUKE 10:25-37
(Jonah 1:1―2:1, 11, Psalm: Jonah 2)
(Jonah 1:1―2:1, 11, Psalm: Jonah 2)
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KEY VERSE: "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself" (v 27).
READING: A scribe who was well versed in the law of Moses asked Jesus: "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus asked him what was written in the law. The scribe answered correctly that he must love God and neighbor as himself. Hoping to put Jesus to the test, the scribe then asked: "Who is my neighbor?" In his parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus reversed the scribe's narrow view of 'neighbor' as only those who belonged to the people of Israel, by contrasting the attitudes of three witnesses to the scene of a victim who had been beaten half-dead. A priest and Levite passed him by but they did not stop to help, probably because they didn't want to risk the possibility of ritual impurity. Their piety got in the way of their charity. But an outsider, a Samaritan, came to the man's rescue. There was deep hostility between Jews and Samaritans, and the words 'Samaritan' and 'neighbor' were generally not used together. But Jesus made the supposed villain into the hero. He asked the scribe, "Who was neighbor to the wounded man?" And the scribe answered, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus told this legal expert to go and do likewise to the "neighbor" he would meet along the way.
REFLECTING: Do I have compassion toward people who do not meet my standards?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to see you in the suffering people I meet each day.
Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary
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On October 7th, the Catholic Church
celebrates a memorial in honor of Mary as Our Lady of the Rosary. October has
also been traditionally known as the month of the Rosary. The recitation of the
Rosary is a devotion based on Sacred Scripture. The feast of "Our Lady of
the Rosary" is attributed to a vision of the Blessed Mother to St.
Dominic. The Rosary ("rose garden") is called the "Psalter of
Mary" because its 150 "Aves" (all 15 decades) correspond to the
number of psalms. The Rosary has been called the "Jesus Prayer" of
Western Catholicism. While saying the prayers of each decade, the person
meditates on the mysteries of our Lord and Lady's life. In addition to the
joyful, sorrowful, and glorious mysteries, Pope John Paul II recommends that
the new Luminous Mysteries be recited on Thursdays. These "Mysteries of
Light" are drawn from the life of Christ, and his public revelation of his
divine nature and mission.
In 1974, Pope Paul VI wrote: The Rosary draws from the Gospel the presentation of the mysteries and its main formulas. As it moves from the angel's joyful greeting and the Virgin's pious assent, the Rosary takes its inspiration from the Gospel to suggest the attitude with which the faithful should recite it. In the harmonious succession of Hail Mary's, the Rosary puts before us once more a fundamental mystery of the Gospel--the incarnation of the Word, contemplated at the decisive moment of the Annunciation of Mary. The Rosary is thus a Gospel prayer, as pastors and scholars like to define it, more today perhaps then in the past. (Marialis Cultus 44)
In 1974, Pope Paul VI wrote: The Rosary draws from the Gospel the presentation of the mysteries and its main formulas. As it moves from the angel's joyful greeting and the Virgin's pious assent, the Rosary takes its inspiration from the Gospel to suggest the attitude with which the faithful should recite it. In the harmonious succession of Hail Mary's, the Rosary puts before us once more a fundamental mystery of the Gospel--the incarnation of the Word, contemplated at the decisive moment of the Annunciation of Mary. The Rosary is thus a Gospel prayer, as pastors and scholars like to define it, more today perhaps then in the past. (Marialis Cultus 44)
You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord
You will rescue my life from the pit.Most of us can identify with Jonah fleeing from God, intentionally running as fast as he can in the wrong direction. And we might identify too with being deep in the pit, calling out to God once all hope seems lost. Living in the affluent West, we might also know about worshipping vain idols and crossing the road to avoid helping those in need. The gospel asks us to be true neighbours, and reminds us that God is not impressed by our status, religion or wealth. God wants us to be genuinely compassionate and to take action when the need arises. What vain idols do I worship? Who in my own life do I pretend not to see? Am I prepared to take the risk and act on my beliefs?
www.churchresources.info
October 7
Our Lady of the Rosary
St. Pius V (April 30) established this feast in 1573. The purpose
was to thank God for the victory of Christians over the Turks at Lepanto—a
victory attributed to the praying of the rosary. Clement XI extended the feast
to the universal Church in 1716.
The
development of the rosary has a long history. First, a practice developed of
praying 150 Our Fathers in imitation of the 150 Psalms. Then there was a
parallel practice of praying 150 Hail Marys. Soon a mystery of Jesus' life was
attached to each Hail Mary. Though Mary's giving the rosary to St. Dominic is
recognized as a legend, the development of this prayer form owes much to the
followers of St. Dominic. One of them, Alan de la Roche, was known as "the
apostle of the rosary." He founded the first Confraternity of the Rosary
in the 15th century. In the 16th century the rosary was developed to its
present form—with the 15 mysteries (joyful, sorrowful and glorious). In 2002,
Pope John Paul II added five Mysteries of Light to this devotion.
Comment:
The purpose of the rosary is to help us meditate on the great mysteries of our salvation. Pius XII called it a compendium of the gospel. The main focus is on Jesus—his birth, life, death and resurrection. The Our Fathers remind us that Jesus' Father is the initiator of salvation. The Hail Marys remind us to join with Mary in contemplating these mysteries. They also make us aware that Mary was and is intimately joined with her Son in all the mysteries of his earthly and heavenly existence. The Glorys remind us that the purpose of all life is the glory of the Trinity.
The purpose of the rosary is to help us meditate on the great mysteries of our salvation. Pius XII called it a compendium of the gospel. The main focus is on Jesus—his birth, life, death and resurrection. The Our Fathers remind us that Jesus' Father is the initiator of salvation. The Hail Marys remind us to join with Mary in contemplating these mysteries. They also make us aware that Mary was and is intimately joined with her Son in all the mysteries of his earthly and heavenly existence. The Glorys remind us that the purpose of all life is the glory of the Trinity.
The rosary appeals to
many. It is simple. The constant repetition of words helps create an atmosphere
in which to contemplate the mysteries of God. We sense that Jesus and Mary are
with us in the joys and sorrows of life. We grow in hope that God will bring us
to share in the glory of Jesus and Mary forever.
Quote:
“The rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christ-centered prayer. It has all the depth of the gospel messge in its entirety. It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb.... It can be said that the rosary is, in some sense, a prayer-commentary on the final chapter of the Vatican II Constitution Lumen Gentium, a chapter that discusses the wondrous presence of the Mother of God in the mystery of Christ and the Church" (Pope John Paul II, apostolic letter The Rosary of the Virgin Mary).
www.americancatholic.org“The rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christ-centered prayer. It has all the depth of the gospel messge in its entirety. It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb.... It can be said that the rosary is, in some sense, a prayer-commentary on the final chapter of the Vatican II Constitution Lumen Gentium, a chapter that discusses the wondrous presence of the Mother of God in the mystery of Christ and the Church" (Pope John Paul II, apostolic letter The Rosary of the Virgin Mary).
LECTIO: OUR
LADY OF THE ROSARY - LK 1,26-38
Lectio:
Monday, October 7, 2013
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
God our Father,
may we love you in all things and above all things
and reach the joy you have prepared for us
beyond all our imagining.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
may we love you in all things and above all things
and reach the joy you have prepared for us
beyond all our imagining.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Luke 1,26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town
in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the
House of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. He went in and said to her,
'Rejoice, you who enjoy God's favour! The Lord is with you.' She was deeply
disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but
the angel said to her, 'Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God's favour.
Look! You are to conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must name him
Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God
will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of
Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.'
Mary said to the angel, 'But how can this come about, since I have no knowledge of man?' The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. And I tell you this too: your cousin Elizabeth also, in her old age, has conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.'
Mary said, 'You see before you the Lord's servant, let it happen to me as you have said.' And the angel left her.
Mary said to the angel, 'But how can this come about, since I have no knowledge of man?' The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. And I tell you this too: your cousin Elizabeth also, in her old age, has conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.'
Mary said, 'You see before you the Lord's servant, let it happen to me as you have said.' And the angel left her.
3) Reflection
• Today is the Feast of Mary Queen. The text of the Gospel on
which we meditate describes the visit of the angel to Mary (Lk 1, 26-38). The
word of God comes to Mary not through a Biblical text, but rather through a
profound experience of God, manifested in the visit of the Angel. In the New
Testament, many times, the Angel of God is God himself. It was thanks to the
meditation on the written Word of God in the Bible that Mary was capable to
perceive the living Word of God in the visit of the Angel. The same thing
happens today with God’s visits in our life. The visits of God are frequent.
But because of lack of assimilation and meditation of the written Word of God
in the Bible, we are not aware of God’s visit in our life. The visit of God is
so present and so continuous that, many times, we do not perceive it and,
because of this, we lose a great occasion to live in peace and with joy.
• Luke 1, 26-27: The word enters into our life. Luke presents the persons and the places: a Virgin called Mary, betrothed to a man called Joseph, of the House of David.
Nazareth was a small city in Galilee. Galilee was in the periphery. The centre was Judah and Jerusalem. The Angel Gabriel was sent by God to this young virgin who lived in the periphery. The name Gabriel means God is strong. The name Mary means loved by Yahweh or Yahweh is my Lord.
The story of the visit of God to Mary begins with the expression: “In the sixth month”. It refers to the “sixth month” of pregnancy of Elizabeth, relative of Mary, a woman of a certain age, who needs help. The concrete need of Elizabeth serves as a background to the whole episode. It is found at the beginning (Lk 1, 26) and at the end (Lk 1, 36.39).
• Luke 1, 28-29: Mary’s reaction. The angel had appeared to Zechariah in the Temple. The Angel appears to Mary in her house. The Word of God reaches Mary in the environment of her daily life. The Angel says: “Rejoice, you who enjoy God’s favour! The Lord is with you!” These are words similar to those which were said to Moses (Ex 3, 12), to Jeremiah (Jr 1, 8), to Jedeon (Jz 6, 12), to Ruth (Rt 2, 4) and to many others. These words open the horizon for the mission which these persons of the Old Testament have to carry out in the service of the People of God. Deeply disturbed by this greeting, Mary tries to understand what it means. She is realistic, she uses her head. She wants to understand. She does not simply accept any apparition or inspiration.
• Luke 1, 30-33: The explanation of the angel. “Do not be afraid, Mary!” This is always the first greeting of God to human beings: do not be afraid! Immediately after that, the angel recalls the great promises of the past which will be realized through the son who will be born from Mary. This son must receive the name of Jesus. He will be called the son of the Most High and in him finally, will be realized the Kingdom of God promised to David, which all were anxiously waiting for. This is the explanation which the Angel gave to Mary so that she would not be afraid.
• Luke 1, 34: New question asked by Mary. Mary becomes aware of the important mission which she is about to receive, but she continues to be realistic. She does not allow herself to be transported by the greatness of the offer and looks at her condition.” But how can this come about? I have no knowledge of man”. She analyses the offer according to criteria that we, human beings, have available. Because, humanly speaking, this was not possible that this offer of the Word of God would be realized at that moment.
• Luke 1, 35-37: New explanation by the angel. "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God”. The Holy Spirit, present in God’s Word since Creation (Gn 1, 2), can realize things which seem impossible. This is why, the holy One who will be born from Mary will be called Son of God. When today God’s Word is received, accepted by the poor who have no studies, something new takes place thanks to the power of the Holy Spirit! Something new and surprising like the son who is born to a virgin or like the son born from Elizabeth, a woman who was already old, of whom everybody said that she could have no children! The angel adds: “And I tell you this too, your cousin Elizabeth is now in her sixth month!”
• Luke 1, 38: Mary gives herself. The response of the angel clarifies everything for Mary. She gives herself to what the angel was asking for: “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord! May it be done to me according to your word”. Mary calls herself Servant, handmaid of the Lord. This title comes from Isaiah, who presents the mission of the people not as a privilege, but rather like a service to others (Is 42, 1-9; 49, 3-6). Later, the son who was about to be generated at that moment, will define his mission saying: “I have not come to be served but to serve!” (Mt 20, 28). He learns from his Mother!
• Luke 1, 39: The way that Mary finds to render service. The Word of God reaches Mary and makes her get out of self in order to serve others. She leaves the place where she was and goes toward Judah, at a distance of more than four days journey, in order to help her cousin Elizabeth. Mary begins serving and fulfils her mission in behalf of the People of God.
• Luke 1, 26-27: The word enters into our life. Luke presents the persons and the places: a Virgin called Mary, betrothed to a man called Joseph, of the House of David.
Nazareth was a small city in Galilee. Galilee was in the periphery. The centre was Judah and Jerusalem. The Angel Gabriel was sent by God to this young virgin who lived in the periphery. The name Gabriel means God is strong. The name Mary means loved by Yahweh or Yahweh is my Lord.
The story of the visit of God to Mary begins with the expression: “In the sixth month”. It refers to the “sixth month” of pregnancy of Elizabeth, relative of Mary, a woman of a certain age, who needs help. The concrete need of Elizabeth serves as a background to the whole episode. It is found at the beginning (Lk 1, 26) and at the end (Lk 1, 36.39).
• Luke 1, 28-29: Mary’s reaction. The angel had appeared to Zechariah in the Temple. The Angel appears to Mary in her house. The Word of God reaches Mary in the environment of her daily life. The Angel says: “Rejoice, you who enjoy God’s favour! The Lord is with you!” These are words similar to those which were said to Moses (Ex 3, 12), to Jeremiah (Jr 1, 8), to Jedeon (Jz 6, 12), to Ruth (Rt 2, 4) and to many others. These words open the horizon for the mission which these persons of the Old Testament have to carry out in the service of the People of God. Deeply disturbed by this greeting, Mary tries to understand what it means. She is realistic, she uses her head. She wants to understand. She does not simply accept any apparition or inspiration.
• Luke 1, 30-33: The explanation of the angel. “Do not be afraid, Mary!” This is always the first greeting of God to human beings: do not be afraid! Immediately after that, the angel recalls the great promises of the past which will be realized through the son who will be born from Mary. This son must receive the name of Jesus. He will be called the son of the Most High and in him finally, will be realized the Kingdom of God promised to David, which all were anxiously waiting for. This is the explanation which the Angel gave to Mary so that she would not be afraid.
• Luke 1, 34: New question asked by Mary. Mary becomes aware of the important mission which she is about to receive, but she continues to be realistic. She does not allow herself to be transported by the greatness of the offer and looks at her condition.” But how can this come about? I have no knowledge of man”. She analyses the offer according to criteria that we, human beings, have available. Because, humanly speaking, this was not possible that this offer of the Word of God would be realized at that moment.
• Luke 1, 35-37: New explanation by the angel. "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God”. The Holy Spirit, present in God’s Word since Creation (Gn 1, 2), can realize things which seem impossible. This is why, the holy One who will be born from Mary will be called Son of God. When today God’s Word is received, accepted by the poor who have no studies, something new takes place thanks to the power of the Holy Spirit! Something new and surprising like the son who is born to a virgin or like the son born from Elizabeth, a woman who was already old, of whom everybody said that she could have no children! The angel adds: “And I tell you this too, your cousin Elizabeth is now in her sixth month!”
• Luke 1, 38: Mary gives herself. The response of the angel clarifies everything for Mary. She gives herself to what the angel was asking for: “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord! May it be done to me according to your word”. Mary calls herself Servant, handmaid of the Lord. This title comes from Isaiah, who presents the mission of the people not as a privilege, but rather like a service to others (Is 42, 1-9; 49, 3-6). Later, the son who was about to be generated at that moment, will define his mission saying: “I have not come to be served but to serve!” (Mt 20, 28). He learns from his Mother!
• Luke 1, 39: The way that Mary finds to render service. The Word of God reaches Mary and makes her get out of self in order to serve others. She leaves the place where she was and goes toward Judah, at a distance of more than four days journey, in order to help her cousin Elizabeth. Mary begins serving and fulfils her mission in behalf of the People of God.
4) Personal questions
• How do you perceive God’s visit in your life? Have you been
visited already? Have you been a visit from God in the life of others
especially for the poor? How does this text help us to discover the visits of
God in our life?
• The word of God became incarnate in Mary. How is the Word of God taking flesh in my personal life and in the life of the community?
• The word of God became incarnate in Mary. How is the Word of God taking flesh in my personal life and in the life of the community?
5) Concluding Prayer
Let them thank Yahweh for his faithful love,
for his wonders for the children of Adam!
He has fed the hungry to their hearts' content,
filled the starving with good things. (Ps 107,8-9)
www.ocarm.orgfor his wonders for the children of Adam!
He has fed the hungry to their hearts' content,
filled the starving with good things. (Ps 107,8-9)
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