The announcement of the birth of Jesus is the Gospel reading we hear today on the day we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
luke 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, favored one! 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.
committed
One great thing the Rejoice Advent series has made clear for me is the Holy Family’s knowledge of the Old Testament. I never thought about Joseph and Mary and all those New Testament “characters” studying the same words of Scripture that I do. But they did. They had them committed to memory and they LIVED them.
So when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, it didn’t take much for him to convince her of what was about to happen. She knew from her reading of Scripture that God could do the impossible. As a matter of fact, she most likely recalled Hannah exulting in the Lord in 1 Samuel 2 when she proclaimed the Magnificat.
a particular god
This Gospel also reminds me of how particular God is in His plans for us. Talk about planning ahead! Mary was God’s “favored one”, “full of grace.” She was prepared by God to receive this “Son of the Most High.” Not only that, but He used Elizabeth’s pregnancy as proof that what she questioned was actually possible.
somethings to ponder
Today, take a moment to ponder that powerful image of Mary and Joseph studying the same words of Scripture we read today! Blows my mind every time I think about it. Think about the trust, strength and obedience those words instilled in them. Is it doing the same for you? Are you reading and studying as they did?
Maybe you want to ponder the image of God’s particular plans for your life. What are they? What could they possibly be? Are you ready to say, as Mary did, “may it be done to me according to your word!”
God bless you!
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