Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
Lectionary: 545
Lectionary: 545
The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying:
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;
let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!
But Ahaz answered,
"I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!"
Then Isaiah said:
Listen, O house of David!
Is it not enough for you to weary people,
must you also weary my God?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:
the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son,
and shall name him Emmanuel,
which means "God is with us!"
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;
let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!
But Ahaz answered,
"I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!"
Then Isaiah said:
Listen, O house of David!
Is it not enough for you to weary people,
must you also weary my God?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:
the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son,
and shall name him Emmanuel,
which means "God is with us!"
Responsorial
PsalmPS 40:7-8A, 8B-9, 10, 11
R. (8a and 9a) Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, "Behold I come."
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
"In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!"
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Your justice I kept not hid within my heart;
your faithfulness and your salvation I have spoken of;
I have made no secret of your kindness and your truth
in the vast assembly.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, "Behold I come."
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
"In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!"
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Your justice I kept not hid within my heart;
your faithfulness and your salvation I have spoken of;
I have made no secret of your kindness and your truth
in the vast assembly.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Reading 2HEB 10:4-10
Brothers and sisters:
It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats
take away sins.
For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he said:
"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.
Then I said, 'As is written of me in the scroll,
behold, I come to do your will, O God.'"
First he says, "Sacrifices and offerings,
holocausts and sin offerings,
you neither desired nor delighted in."
These are offered according to the law.
Then he says, "Behold, I come to do your will."
He takes away the first to establish the second.
By this "will," we have been consecrated
through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.
It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats
take away sins.
For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he said:
"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.
Then I said, 'As is written of me in the scroll,
behold, I come to do your will, O God.'"
First he says, "Sacrifices and offerings,
holocausts and sin offerings,
you neither desired nor delighted in."
These are offered according to the law.
Then he says, "Behold, I come to do your will."
He takes away the first to establish the second.
By this "will," we have been consecrated
through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Verse Before
The GospelJN 1:14B
The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us;
and we saw his glory.
and we saw his glory.
GospelLK 1:26-38
The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin's name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end."
But Mary said to the angel,
"How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?"
And the angel said to her in reply,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God."
Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."
Then the angel departed from her.
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin's name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end."
But Mary said to the angel,
"How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?"
And the angel said to her in reply,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God."
Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."
Then the angel departed from her.
Meditation: "You have found favor with God"
How does God reveal his favor to us? In the psalms we
pray, "Lord, show me a sign of your favor" (Psalm 86:17). In the Old
Testament God performed many signs and miracles to demonstrate his love and
mercy for his people, such as their deliverance from slavery in Egypt and the
miraculous crossing of the Red sea on dry land (Psalm 78:43-53). When Ahaz,
king of Judah and heir to the throne of David (735 B.C.) was surrounded by
forces that threatened to destroy him and his people, God offered him a sign to
reassure him that God would not abandon the promise he made to David and his
descendants. King Ahaz, however, had lost hope in God and refused to ask for a
sign of favor. God, nonetheless, gave a sign to assure his people that he would
indeed give them a Savior who would rule with peace and righteousness (Isaiah
7:11ff).
God's unfolding plan of redemption
We see the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy and the unfolding of God's plan of redemption in the events leading up to the Incarnation, the birth of the Messiah King. The new era of salvation begins with the miraculous conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary. This child to be born is conceived by the gracious action of the Holy Spirit upon Mary, who finds favor with God (Luke 1:28). As Eve was the mother of all humanity doomed to sin, now Mary becomes the mother of the new Adam who will father a new humanity by his grace (Romans 5:12-21). This child to be conceived in her womb is the fulfillment of all God's promises. He will be "great" and "Son of the Most High" and "King" and his name shall be called "Jesus" (Luke 1:31-32), which means "the Lord saves." "He will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). The angel repeats to Mary, the daughter of the house of David, the promise made to King David: "The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end" (2 Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 1:32-33).
We see the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy and the unfolding of God's plan of redemption in the events leading up to the Incarnation, the birth of the Messiah King. The new era of salvation begins with the miraculous conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary. This child to be born is conceived by the gracious action of the Holy Spirit upon Mary, who finds favor with God (Luke 1:28). As Eve was the mother of all humanity doomed to sin, now Mary becomes the mother of the new Adam who will father a new humanity by his grace (Romans 5:12-21). This child to be conceived in her womb is the fulfillment of all God's promises. He will be "great" and "Son of the Most High" and "King" and his name shall be called "Jesus" (Luke 1:31-32), which means "the Lord saves." "He will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). The angel repeats to Mary, the daughter of the house of David, the promise made to King David: "The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end" (2 Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 1:32-33).
How does Mary respond to the word of God delivered by
the angel Gabriel? She knows she is hearing something beyond human capability.
It will surely take a miracle which surpasses all that God has done previously.
Her question, "how shall this be, since I have no husband" is not
prompted by doubt or skepticism, but by wonderment! She is a true hearer of the
Word and she immediately responds with faith and trust. Mary's prompt response
of "yes" to the divine message is a model of faith for all believers.
Mary believed God's promises even when they seemed
impossible. She was full of grace because she trusted that what God said was
true and would be fulfilled. She was willing and eager to do God's will, even
if it seemed difficult or costly. Mary is the "mother of God" because
God becomes incarnate when he takes on flesh in her womb. When we pray the
ancient creed (Nicene Creed) we state our confession of faith in this
great mystery: "For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven;
by the power of the Holy Spirit, he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and
was made man."
Trust and yield to God's grace
God gives us grace and he expects us to respond with the same willingness, obedience, and heartfelt trust as Mary did. When God commands he also gives the help, strength, and means to respond. We can either yield to his grace or resist and go our own way. Do you believe in God's promises and do you yield to his grace?
God gives us grace and he expects us to respond with the same willingness, obedience, and heartfelt trust as Mary did. When God commands he also gives the help, strength, and means to respond. We can either yield to his grace or resist and go our own way. Do you believe in God's promises and do you yield to his grace?
"Heavenly Father, you offer us abundant grace,
mercy, and forgiveness through your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Help me to live
a grace-filled life as Mary did by believing in your promises and by giving you
my unqualified 'yes' to your will and plan for my life."
A Daily Quote from early church fathers: Do you wish to be great?, by Augustine
of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"Just imagine the incredible kindness and mercy!
He was the only Son, but He did not want to remain alone. So that humans might
be born of God God was born of humans. Begotten of God is He through Whom we
were created - Born of a woman is He through Whom we are to be re-created. The
Word first wished to be born of humans, so that you might be assured of being
born of God" (excerpt from Sermon on John 2, 13)
SOLEMNITY OF
THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD
SATURDAY, MARCH 25, LUKE 1:26-38
(Isaiah 7:10-14, 8:10; Psalm 40; Hebrews 10:4-10)
SATURDAY, MARCH 25, LUKE 1:26-38
(Isaiah 7:10-14, 8:10; Psalm 40; Hebrews 10:4-10)
KEY VERSE: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God" (v 30).
TO KNOW: Nine months before the Feast of the Nativity, the Church honors the Annunciation of the Lord's birth. After centuries of longing for the Messiah, the Archangel Gabriel announced the good news to a young woman in the obscure village of Nazareth. The virgin's name was Mary (Hebrew, Miryam, "the exalted one"). The angel told Mary that she had found favor with God and would bear a son, whom she was to name Jesus (Hebrew, Yeshua, 'Yahweh saves'). Mary was deeply troubled by the angel's message, but she was told not to be afraid as she had conceived God's Son by the Holy Spirit. The "Son of the Most High" (v 32) would rule eternally over the "house of Jacob" (v 33) fulfilling the promise made to King David (2 Sm 7:16). Mary was given a sign to prove that "nothing was impossible with God" (Lk 1:37): her kinswoman Elizabeth had conceived a son in her old age. Mary responded with faithful submission to the will of God (fiat, "Let it be done"). Mary's dispositions of listening, prayer, waiting, fidelity and praise are necessary virtues for all Christians.
TO LOVE: Can I say with Mary: "Be it done unto me according to your will"?
TO SERVE: Mary of Nazareth, help me to obey God's will as you did.
Saturday
25 March 2017
Sat 25th. The Annunciation Of The
Lord. Is 7:10-14, 8:10c; Heb 10:4-10; Lk 1:26-38.
‘I am the
handmaid of the Lord … let what you have said be done to me.’ Luke 1:38
Today is the feast of the
Annunciation, when Mary of Nazareth receives an astonishing invitation. She
listens, she asks questions, she ponders, and she oh so bravely says ‘YES’.
Mary is open to the Holy Spirit. She lets God work in her. Simeon soon enough
tells her that a sword will pierce her heart, and indeed she suffers the worst
pain possible: the crucifixion of her son. A sword is piercing my heart too.
The closer I get to God, and the closer God gets to me, the more evident my
fragility becomes. The point of Lent and the point of the passion is that God’s
love transcends human fragility. The fact of the matter, however, is that the
closer I get to God, the more angry I am that my beloved must die. I see that
this is the anger of human fragility and not understanding that my small love
is held in God’s unbounded love. Mary seems to have understood this deep truth
right from the outset. Holy Mary, Mother of God, please pray for us sinners
now.
SOLEMNITY OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD
The Solemnity of the Annunciation celebrates the
coming of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary to announce to her the special
mission God had chosen for her in being the mother of His only son.
We are continually reminded of the importance of this feast to our salvation in various devotional prayers. Two examples that highlight the importance of this feast are the joyous mysteries of the Rosary and the Angelus.
The feast of the Annunciation began to be celebrated on this day during the fourth and fifth centuries, soon after the date for celebrating Christmas was universalized throughout the Church. This feast celebrates the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Trinity and the salvation of all mankind. This point of our salvation was deeply discussed by many of the Church fathers, to explain it to the faithful and to show the deep love God has for us. Some of the Church fathers who wrote on this were St. Athanasius, St. Gregory of Nyssa and St. Augustine.
We are continually reminded of the importance of this feast to our salvation in various devotional prayers. Two examples that highlight the importance of this feast are the joyous mysteries of the Rosary and the Angelus.
The feast of the Annunciation began to be celebrated on this day during the fourth and fifth centuries, soon after the date for celebrating Christmas was universalized throughout the Church. This feast celebrates the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Trinity and the salvation of all mankind. This point of our salvation was deeply discussed by many of the Church fathers, to explain it to the faithful and to show the deep love God has for us. Some of the Church fathers who wrote on this were St. Athanasius, St. Gregory of Nyssa and St. Augustine.
LECTIO DIVINA: THE
ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD
Lectio Divina:
Saturday, March 25, 2017
God’s covenant with humanity
Mary’s yes and our yes
Luke 1,26-38
Mary’s yes and our yes
Luke 1,26-38
1. OPENING PRAYER
Merciful
Father, in this holy time of prayer and of listening to your Word, send also to
me your holy angel that I may receive the proclamation of salvation and that,
after opening my heart, I may offer my yes to Love. Let, I beg you, the Holy
Spirit overshadow me as an overwhelming power. As from now, Father, I do not
wish to express anything other than my “Yes!” and to say to you: “Behold, I am
here for you. Do unto me whatever pleases you”. Amen.
2. READING
a)
The context of the passage:
The
story of the annunciation takes us from the temple, a holy place par
excellence, to the house, to the intimacy of a personal meeting of God with his
creature; it leads us into ourselves, into the deepest part of our being and
our story, where God alone can reach and touch us. The announcement of the
birth of John the Baptist had opened the sterile womb of Elisabeth, thus
overcoming the absolute powerlessness of humankind and transforming it into the
ability to collaborate with God. On the other hand, the announcement of the
birth of Jesus, knocks on the door of a fertile womb of the one who is “full of
grace” and awaits a reply: it is God who waits for our yes so as to work
everything in us.
b)
An aid to the reading of this passage:
vv.
26-27: The first two verses place us at the time and sacred space of the event
on which we are meditating and which we relive: we are in the sixth month from
the conception of John the Baptist and in Nazareth, a city in Galilee, the land
of the marginalized and unclean. Here God has come down to speak with a virgin,
to speak to our hearts.
The
persons involved in this unsettling event are presented to us: Gabriel, the
messenger of God, a young woman called Mary and her spouse Joseph of the royal
house of David. We too are made welcome into this company and are called to
enter into the mystery.
vv.
28-29: These are the very first words of the dialogue between God and his
creature. Just a few words, a mere breath, but all-powerful words that disturb
the heart, that question deeply the meaning of human life, plans and
expectations. The angel announces joy, grace and the presence of God; Mary is
disturbed and asks herself how can any of this be happening to her. Where can
such a joy come from? How can such a great grace, that can change her very
being, be hers?
vv.
30-33: These are the central verses of the excerpt: it is the explosion of the
announcement, the manifestation of the gift of God, of his omnipotence in the
life of human beings. Gabriel, the strong, speaks of Jesus: the eternal king, the
Saviour, the God made child, the humble all-powerful. He speaks of Mary, of her
womb, of her life that she was chosen to be the gateway to welcoming God in
this world and into the lives of all people. Even at this stage of the events,
God begins to draw near, to knock. He stands, attentive, by the door of the
heart of Mary; and even now by our house, our hearts…
v.
34: Mary, faced by God’s proposal, allows herself to stand naked, she allows
herself to be read to her very depths. She speaks of herself, her heart, her
wishes. She knows that for God the impossible is possible, she does not doubt
or harden her heart and mind, she does not count the cost; she only wants to be
fully available, open, and allows herself to be reached by that humanly
impossible touch, but one already written, already realised in God. In a
gesture of utter poverty, she places before God her virginity, her not knowing
man. This is a complete and absolute surrender of self, full of faith and
trust. It is her preliminary yes.
vv.
35-37: God, most humble, gives an answer; the all-powerful bends over the
fragility of this woman, who represents each one of us. The dialogue continues,
the covenant grows and is strengthened. God reveals the how, he speaks of the
Holy Spirit, of the fruitful overshadowing, which does no violence, does not
break, but preserves intact. He speaks of the human experience of Elisabeth, he
reveals another impossible thing made possible; almost like a guarantee or
security. And then comes the last word when one must make a choice: to say yes
or no, believe or doubt, dissolve or harden oneself, to open the door or close
it. “Nothing is impossible for God”.
v.
38: The last verse seems to contain an infinity. Mary says her “Here I am”, she
opens herself wide to God and then the meeting, the union takes place forever.
God enters into the human and the human becomes the place of God: these are the
most sublime Nuptials possible on earth. And yet, the Gospel ends on a sad and
hard note: Mary stays alone, the angel leaves. What remains, however, is the
yes pronounced to God and God’s presence; what remains is real Life.
c)
The Text:
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.
3. A MOMENT OF PRAYERFUL
SILENCE
I
have read and listened to the words of the Gospel. Now I stand in silence … God
is present, at the door, and asks for shelter, yes, even from me and from my
poor life …
4. A FEW QUESTIONS
a)
God’s announcement, his angel, enters my life, stands before me and speaks to
me. Am I prepared to welcome him, to give him space, to listen to him attentively?
b)
Suddenly I receive an upsetting announcement; God speaks to me of joy, grace
and presence. All the things that I have been seeking for so long, always. Who
can make me really happy? Am I willing to trust in his happiness and his
presence?
c)
Not much is needed, just a movement of the heart, of my being; He is already
aware of this. He is already overwhelming me with light and love. He says to
me: “You have found favour in my sight”. So, I please God? He finds me
pleasant, loveable? Yes, that is how it really is. Why is it that I would not
believe it before? Why have I not listened to him?
d)
The Lord Jesus wants to come into this world also through me; he wants to reach
my brothers and sisters through the paths of my life, of my being. Would I lead
him astray? Would I refuse him, keep him at a distance? Would I wipe him out of
my story, my life?
5. A KEY TO THE READING
Some
important and strong words that resonate in this passage of the Gospel.
●
Rejoice!
This
is a really strange greeting from God to his creature; it seems hard to explain
and perhaps even senseless. And yet, for centuries it resonated in the pages of
Sacred Scripture and thus also on the lips of the Hebrew people. Rejoice, be
glad, exult! Many times the prophets had repeated this gentle breath of God and
had shouted the silent beat of his heart for his people, his remnant. I read
this in Joel: “Land, do not be afraid; be glad, rejoice, for Yahweh has done
great things… (2: 21-23); in Zephaniah: “Shout for joy, daughter of Zion, Israel,
shout aloud! Rejoice, exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem! Yahweh
has repealed your sentence” (3: 14); in Zechariah: “Sing, rejoice, daughter of
Zion, for now I am coming to live among you – Yahweh declares!” (2, 14). I read
and listen to it, today, I say it also in my heart, in my life; a joy is
announced to me, a new happiness, never before experienced. I rediscover the
great things that the Lord has done for me; I experience the freedom that comes
from his pardon: I am no longer sentenced, but graced forever; I live the
experience of the presence of the Lord next to me, in me. Yes, He has come to
dwell in our midst; He is once more setting up his tent in the land of my
heart, of my existence. Lord, as the Psalm says, you rejoice in your creatures
(Ps 104: 31); and I too rejoice in you, thanks to you, my joy is in you (Ps
104: 34).
●
The Lord is with you
These
simple and enlightened words pronounced by the angel to Mary, liberate an
all-powerful force; I realise that these words alone would suffice to save my
life, to lift me up again from whatever fall or humiliation, to bring me back
when I go astray. The fact that He, my Lord, is with me, keeps me alive, gives
me courage and trust to go on being. If I am, it is because He is with me. Who
knows but that the experience of Isaac told in Scripture might not be valid for
me, the most beautiful thing imaginable that could happen to a person who
believes in and loves God, when one day Abimelech came to Isaac with his men to
tell him: “It became clear to us that Yahweh was with you” (Gen 26: 28) and
then asked to become friends and form an alliance. Would that the same thing
might be said of me; would that I could show that the Lord is truly with me, in
my life, in my desires, in my affections, in my choices and actions; would that
others might meet Him through me. Perhaps for this, it is necessary for me to
absorb more the presence of God, for me to eat and drink of Him.
Let
me go to the school of Scripture, to read and re-read some passages where the
voice of the Lord tells me again and again of this truth and, while He speaks,
to be transformed, ever more in-dwelt. “Remain for the present in that country;
I shall be with you and bless you” (Gen 26: 3). “To Joshua son of Nun, Yahweh
gave this order: Be strong and stand firm, for you are to be the one to bring
the Israelites into the country which I have promised them on oath, and I
myself shall be with you” (Dt 31: 23). “They will fight against you but will
not overcome you, because I am with you to save you and rescue you” (Jer 15:
20). “The angel of Yahweh appeared to him and said: Yahweh is with you, valiant
warrior!” (Judges 6: 12). “Yahweh appeared to him the same night and said: I am
the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I shall
bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham’s sake” (Gen 26:
24). “Be sure, I am with you; I shall keep you safe wherever you go, and bring
you back to this country, for I shall never desert you until I have done what I
have promised you” (Gen 28: 15). “Do not be afraid, for I am with you; do not
be alarmed, for I am your God. I give you strength, truly I help you, truly I
hold you firm with my saving right hand” (Is 41: 10)
●
Do not be afraid
The
Bible is packed with this pronouncement full of kindness; like a river of
mercy, these words are found throughout the sacred books, from Genesis to the
Apocalypse. It is the Father who repeats to his children not to be afraid,
because He is with them, he will not abandon them, he will not forget them, He
will not leave them in the hands of their enemies. It is like a declaration of
love from God to humanity, to each one of us; it is a pledge of fidelity that
is relayed from hand to hand, from heart to heart, and finally comes down to
us. Abraham heard these words and after him his son Isaac, then the patriarchs,
Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon and, with them, Jeremiah and all the prophets. No
one is excluded from this embrace of salvation that the Father offers his
children, even those furthest from him, most rebellious against him. Mary knows
how to listen to these words and knows how to believe full of faith, in an
attitude of absolute surrender; She listens and believes, welcomes and lives
for us too. She is the strong and courageous woman who opens herself to the
coming of God, letting go of all fears, incredulity and a closed spirit. She
repeats these same words of God in our lives and invites us to believe like
her.
●
You enjoy God’s favour
“Lord,
if I enjoy favour in your sight…”. This is the prayer that time and time again
comes out of the lips and hearts of those who seek refuge in the Lord; the
Scriptures tell us about such people, we come across them in our crossroads
when we know not where to go, when we feel hounded by solitude or by
temptation, when we experience abandonment, betrayals, heavy defeats of our own
existence. When we no longer have anyone and we fail to find even ourselves,
then we too, like them, find ourselves praying by repeating these same words:
“Lord, if I enjoy favour in your sight…”. Who knows how often we have repeated
these words, even alone and in silence. But today, here, in this simple passage
of the Gospel, we are forestalled, we are welcomed in anticipation; we need no
longer plead, because we have already found everything that we always sought
and much more. We have received freely, we are overwhelmed and now we can
overflow.
●
Nothing is impossible to God
I
have nearly come to the end of this strong journey of grace and liberation; I
now come across a word that shakes me in my depths. My faith is being sifted;
the Lord is testing me, scrutinising me, testing my heart. What the angel says
here in front of Mary, had already been proclaimed many times in the Old
Testament; now the time has come for the fulfilment, now all the impossible
things come to pass. God becomes man; the Lord becomes friend, brother; the
distant is very close. And I, even I, small and poor as I am, am given to share
in the immensity of this gift, this grace; I am told that in my life too the
impossible becomes possible. I only have to believe, to give my consent. But
this means that I have to allow myself to be shattered by the power of God; to
surrender to Him, who will transform me, free me and renew me. Not even this is
impossible. Yes, I can be reborn today, here and now, by the grace of the voice
that has spoken to me, that has reached me even to the very depths of my heart.
I seek and transcribe the passages of Scripture that repeat this truth. And as
I write them, as I re-read them and say them slowly, devouring every word, and
what they say takes place in me… Genesis 18: 14; Job 42: 2; Jeremiah 32: 17;
Jeremiah 32: 27; Zechariah 8: 6; Matthew 19: 26; Luke 18: 27.
●
Here I am
Now
I cannot escape, nor can I avoid the conclusion. I knew from the beginning that
here, in this word, so small and yet so full, so final, that God was waiting
for me. The appointment of love, of the covenant between Him and me had been
fixed precisely on this word, just a gentle voice, just a kiss. I am unsettled
by the richness of the presence I feel in this “Here I am!”; I need not make
much effort to recall the number of times that God first pronounced and
repeated these words to me. He is the ‘Here I am’ made man, absolutely
faithful, unforgettable. I only need to tune into him, only find his footprints
in the sand of my poverty, of my desert; I only need to welcome his infinite
love that never ceases to seek me, to stay close to me, to walk with me
wherever I go. The ‘Here I am’ has already been pronounced and realised, it is
already real. How many before me and how many today have experienced this! I am
not alone. I still remain silent, listening before I reply…
“Here
I am!” (Is 65: 1) God repeats; Mary replies, “Here I am, I am the servant of
the Lord”; and Christ says, “I come to do your will” (Ps 39: 8)…
6. A TIME OF PRAYER: PSALM
138
Ref. Father, into your hands I commend
my life.
Yahweh, you examine me and know me,
you know when I sit, when I rise,
you understand my thoughts from afar.
You watch when I walk or lie down,
you know every detail of my conduct.
A word is not yet on my tongue before you,
Yahweh, know all about it.
You fence me in, behind and in front,
you have laid your hand upon me.
Such amazing knowledge is beyond me,
a height to which I cannot attain.
Where shall I go to escape your spirit?
Where shall I flee from your presence?
If I scale the heavens you are there,
if I lie flat in Sheol, there you are.
you know when I sit, when I rise,
you understand my thoughts from afar.
You watch when I walk or lie down,
you know every detail of my conduct.
A word is not yet on my tongue before you,
Yahweh, know all about it.
You fence me in, behind and in front,
you have laid your hand upon me.
Such amazing knowledge is beyond me,
a height to which I cannot attain.
Where shall I go to escape your spirit?
Where shall I flee from your presence?
If I scale the heavens you are there,
if I lie flat in Sheol, there you are.
You created my inmost self,
knit me together in my mother's womb.
For so many marvels I thank you;
a wonder am I, and all your works are wonders.
You knew me through and through,
How hard for me to grasp your thoughts,
how many, God, there are!
If I count them, they are more than the grains of sand;
if I come to an end, I am still with you.
God, examine me and know my heart,
test me and know my concerns.
Make sure that I am not on my way to ruin,
and guide me on the road of eternity.
knit me together in my mother's womb.
For so many marvels I thank you;
a wonder am I, and all your works are wonders.
You knew me through and through,
How hard for me to grasp your thoughts,
how many, God, there are!
If I count them, they are more than the grains of sand;
if I come to an end, I am still with you.
God, examine me and know my heart,
test me and know my concerns.
Make sure that I am not on my way to ruin,
and guide me on the road of eternity.
7. CLOSING PRAYER
Father,
you came down to me, you have come to me, you have touched my heart, you have
spoken to me and promised joy, presence and salvation. By the grace of the Holy
Spirit, who overshadows me, I, together with Mary, have been able to say to you
yes, the ‘Here I am’ of my life for you. Now there remains only the force of
your promise, of your truth: “You are to conceive and bear Jesus”. Lord, here
is the womb of my life, of my being, of all that I am and have, open before
you. I place all things in you, in your heart. Enter, come, come down again, I
beg you, and make me fruitful, make me one who gives birth to Christ in this
world. May the overflowing love I receive from you find its fullness and truth
in touching the brothers and sisters that you place beside me. May our meeting,
Father, be open, a gift to all. May Jesus be the Saviour. Amen.
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