"I am the handmaid of the Lord"
Gospel Lk 1:26-38
In the sixth month,
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.
Justice and Peace in His Time
by Cookie Asuncion
Have you ever been so disappointed—so enraged—that you felt almost hopeless?
I know I have.
When I look back at this year, one of the heaviest moments in my heart is realizing just how broken our country is, especially with the massive corruption in flood-control projects. It hits differently now because it is no longer a “news headline” to me. It is my kids—my own children—whose safety is on the line. The flooding and the unbearable traffic have placed them in danger right in front of their school. And the painful truth is knowing they could have been spared, along with thousands of ordinary citizens, if only the system did not fail us.
Feeling helpless & almost hopeless, I found myself repeatedly blaming the people in office & asking, “Lord, what can I even do? The problem is too big… I am just one person.”
I prayed for peace, asking the Lord to take away the disappointment, the heaviness, the quiet anger sitting in my heart—so I could breathe again, so I could continue living with hope.
And the Lord reminded me when I came across what Mother Teresa once said, “Learn to accept disappointments cheerfully, for when we learn to accept them, peace begins.”
I can attest to this because when I prayed for God to grant me peace, He taught me to accept the problems, acknowledge the disappointments and then came peace. When I started to feel at peace, the message of the Gospel from Luke 1: 26-38 (The Annunciation) is clearer. Before, I’ve always focused on Mary’s submission—how she said yes even in confusion & uncertainty. But this time, something else struck me: God asked her to do something so great that seemed impossible. Something far greater than what any ordinary woman could carry. And yet, her “yes” changed everything.
That made me pause and ask:
“Lord, what do You want me to do?”
This year, my husband and I were called to serve in our community’s work with the poor program in providing educational sponsorship. And slowly, I began to realize…Maybe this is His answer. Maybe this is my task.
We raise funds for deserving scholars. We guide them through values formation. We help them pursue dreams that poverty would have otherwise crushed.
And in these students, I see hope. They are bright, capable, and full of potential—the kind of young people who may one day become leaders who choose integrity, who value justice. I realized I need not look far to say I have done something. My fight against all these evil begins right where God has placed me.
Surrendering my frustrations opened my heart to see God’s purpose to my service. From hopelessness came clarity. From disappointment came purpose.
And with that, I am affirmed of our theme this year that truly, God has a way for “Justice to flourish in His time, and fullness of peace forever " - Psalm 72:7
We just have to seek God’s leading through prayer and let Him guide us to what He wants us to do for His purpose.
Prayer
Lord, when disappointments overwhelm me, grant me the grace to accept them that I may have peace. And when I have peace, teach me to know what it is that you want me to do. Help me understand Your purpose for me where You have placed me. Use my small offering to help build a just and peaceful future. Amen.
For the coming Christmas, let us make a personal sacrifice by supporting the education and formation of students by sponsoring a student, donating to scholarship programs — helping shape future leaders rooted in integrity, compassion, and justice.
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Carolyn Ann “Cookie” Asuncion is a wife and stay-at-home mom, small business owner, and a member of Couples for Christ – South B. She and her husband actively support ANCOP’s Education Sponsorship Program, believing deeply in the potential of Filipino youth to transform society through faith and good values. Cookie is passionate about uplifting families, building hope, and serving quietly but wholeheartedly where God calls her.
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