Gospel Luke 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.
“Yes” to God's Holy Will
by Sr. Anna Maria Nguyen, smf
The Annunciation story comes up in today's Gospel. Mary is blessed because God chose her to be the mother of the incarnate Son of God. Her humility and unwavering faith played a pivotal role in fulfilling God's divine purpose.
"Yes, I am the handmaid of the Lord," Mary said, "let it be done to me according to your word." Immediately, the Son of God descended and took on the form of a person in Mary's womb. The union of God and human nature took place. At that point, God bestowed upon Mary all of the blessings that involved her position as God's Mother, which enabled her to fulfill that essential role. With her "Yes," the Virgin Mary completely freely cooperates in God's plan of redemption, showing extraordinary courage and absolute faith.
I told to myself, would I try to put myself in the position of Mary, living under the strict rules of Judaism 20 centuries ago? At that time, women were the most despised subjects, and Mary was a young virgin and was only engaged to Joseph. If the pregnancy was not due to the person she was betrothed to, she would be guilty of adultery and stoned to death. From here we can see an unknown future awaited Mary at the moment, yet she nevertheless dared to answer "Yes" in Faith and Love.
Looking at our lives today, we have been, are, or will be suffering; whether rich or poor, single, married, or consecrated; we all have our own sufferings, and how much or how little is unimportant; what's important is our attitude and spirit toward suffering. But no matter which situation we are in, let us recall the example of the Virgin Mary and have courage in fully surrendering ourselves to God, trusting and praying to God wholeheartedly, because "there is nothing that is impossible for God." (Lk 1:37)
Let us contemplate Mother Mary's example in today's Gospel, who always obeys God's will. Because "Obey God's will" is the most significant truth in her life. Likewise, if there is the truth that is regarded as the most important in Christ's life, it is "I come to do your will." So, if Jesus and Mother Mary chose to "Follow God's Will," it must be the most significant truth in our lives as well.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you did not descend from heaven in a glorious manner, but from your mother's womb, just as fragile and weak as any other newborn baby in need of care, nurturing, and growth. I see the greatness of Mary's virtues. She not only said "yes" once on the day of the Annunciation, but in every event of her life, she said "yes" quietly, courageously, and tirelessly. May God help us always follow the example of Mother Mary, not relying on our own strength but always relying on God's strength, and especially completely trusting in God's desired purpose in our lives. Amen.
Gift for Jesus
In the spirit of Mary's Fiat (“let it be done” or "Yes" to God), let us offer Jesus the gift of openness, generosity, and willingness to contribute what is good and meaningful, such as Acts of Kindness and Service to those around us.
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