“What an honor this is, that the mother of my Lord shall visit me?” (Lk. 1: 43, LAB)
Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth provides a positive energy of affirmation and encouragement for the both of them. Affirmation, because both Mary and Elizabeth witnessed God’s promise came to fruition. Encouragement, because they needed each other who both experienced God’s marvelous works in human faculties which only the two of them could understand.
Mary’s presence during this time of Elizabeth’s life is Mary’s way of sharing the joy of Elizabeth and her gesture of support to her pregnant relative. For the Lord removed the bitter experience of Elizabeth and heal her from the pain of disgrace. Thus, her presence showed that she is with Elizabeth and committed to accompany her in this journey.
However, God used this encounter between these two blessed women as a privilege locus to highlight the special role of Mary in the economy of salvation. And Elizabeth recognized that, saying: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”
Thus, the Church, the Christian faithful, continues to honor Mary with utmost gratitude for saying “Yes” to the will of God, for which we benefited from. For through her, God commenced his plan of renewing the face of the earth and gathering us all into his Kingdom.
See, what difference presence can do to others! And so, what about calling a family member or a relative or a friend? What about letting them know that you care about them, and that they can count on you? The time is now! Seize it!
Whenever we reflect on our childhood memories, our dear mother is always there present. Be she young, or old, dark or fair, how else would we be here now, if our mother did not make our well-being her life and vocation? The relationship we share with our mother is special and sacred, and is based on a bond of mutual love. It was our mother, who is the first person who loved us, took care of us, committed herself for us, assured us that she will always be there whatever happens, and would willing die for us so that we may be borne & live. It is our Mother, who first said, “Yes” for you. She might be the mother of all “No”s TO you but, she is “the Mother of all “Yes”es FOR you, in favor of you, who first opted and chosen YOU. Through our mother we also heard first God’s Promise, “I will be there FOR you always”.
No wonder then that Mary is at the center of today’s gospel, which gives us a simple but moving account of the greatest message ever delivered to us – “the Lord is with us”. In it we are told simply and plainly that there was a young maiden, who knelt down at the angel Gabriel’s mysterious message and, in freedom of her heart, gave the total gift of herself to God, saying: “Yes, let it Be done unto me according to thy Word.”
The Annunciation was the moment when God first revealed a mystery that he kept secret for endless ages. It is true that his love for us is so great that he wants to become one of us. And in doing so, Mary was needed by God. Mary was asked to co-operate with God, and be the mother of Christ. And the moment she said, “Yes” to the angel, salvation dawned on us all. However, Mary did not say “Yes” to God on only one occasion. She had to confirm that “Yes” many times during her life. The moment she said, “yes” to God’s invitation life was never the same again for her. She became a refugee in Egypt and some thirty years later, a witness her son died the death of a common criminal. And through all these events in her life, she did not abandon her son, stood by Him, always present and supporting Him whatever it takes.
Christmas is almost upon us and, on this fourth Sunday of Advent, our thoughts turn to our mothers who said “yes” for us so that we may live, and to our mother Mary who listened and responded in cooperation with God’s will. Mary’s life shows us that to be a Christian is to be a person who keeps our ears open to what God is calling us to do today, so that we are ready to answer Yes to His call and to cooperate with His will.
Perhaps we ask ourselves:
To what extent are we available to God? Do we see what he wants us to do in and through us? If God asks you for favor now, how would you respond?
Today we are shown the marvelous example of Mary. Even if she did not see clearly all it implied, she accepted her mission to become the mother of the Savior. Mary’s yes offers us salvation. Our own mother’s yes brings us life. May our Yes, our own response and cooperation with God brings life and salvation to others. Like Mary, May our response be: “Yes, Lord, I’m ready. Go na”.
We pray then that like Mary, we may have her listening and responding heart to God’s call so that we can be as ready and as willing to cooperate in bringing Christ into others. Amen.
We are very close now of that wonderful historical event in our Christian faith. This week is the last stretch of our joyful and hopeful waiting leading us towards that humble yet unique and crucial event in our history. Definitely, it is very important that we don’t lose sight of the great meaning of the birth of Jesus by making ourselves rooted in this Season of Advent.
We could have been stunned with a lot of concerns these days, or the pandemic could have still gripped us into fear and anxiety, or the highly commercialized Christmas celebration could intoxicate us, however, let us bring ourselves, our hearts and our minds into focus.
At the beginning of this Season of Advent, we were called to “stay awake, to be alert and to be vigilant.” We are constantly reminded of God’s surprise visits and of God’s promise to be with us. Today, on this Fourth Sunday of Advent where we also lighted the fourth candle, called as the Candle of Angels or the Candle of Love, we are being trailed into the fulfillment of God’s promise. Thus, I invite you now that we look again the readings this Sunday and discern together how God brings us into a greater awareness that each of us today take part in God’s wonderful plan.
The Second Book of Samuel tells us how God renews the covenant with David. David who felt guilty for being in the palace while the Ark of the Covenant was in a tent, was reminded of God’s favor. God promised David that his house shall be blessed. It is God who will build a house for the people. In this house, God will be our Father.
What the Prophet proclaims to us is the very hope and joyful expectation of the fulfillment of God’s promise. This covenant rests now in that relationship with God as a father. This is the first invitation today, that we take comfort in God’s promise because God is our Father.
This promise and close relationship with God is what our Psalm sings to us today. The people at that time endured a great amount of suffering. In their anguish and fear, they recalled the covenant with God and recognized the “everlasting kindness of God.” God is faithful indeed, and God is our father. This was what they felt in the midst of their suffering.
Somehow, this was a longing in their heart that they continued to hold on for this gave them hope and joy in life despite the gloomy and dark situation. Therefore, the Psalm sings, “Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.” This is the second invitation for us today where we are called to have a greater awareness, so that we are able to recognize the goodness of God.
Such goodness of the Lord had been fulfilled. God is certainly our Father. The Lord is faithful to our covenant. The readings all point us to what the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary. The person of Mary was not random. God planned it all along. Mary was betrothed to Joseph who was from the lineage of King David. This lineage brings us into the covenant made by God with David. Mary as well was a cousin of Elizabeth who was from the priestly lineage of Aaron. This tells us that the Messiah is indeed a royal and a priest.
More to this, God’s kindness is truly from everlasting and God’s plan works in our human story. And in our human story God brings us what love can do. What the Angel Gabriel announced was in fact LOVE. Mary having favored by God, was filled with God’s grace. In that fullness, Mary’s love was overflowing. This is what happened when the Holy Spirit is welcomed and received.
Her response to God despite her confusion and fear, allowed her to be more conscious that she was loved and was called to love. That awareness of God’s presence moved Mary to participate fully in God’s plan. Mary was not passive. She was not indifferent to God’s invitation. Mary took part by making the promise of God fulfilled through her by loving concretely.
The words of Mary to the Angel Gabriel, “Let it be done to me according to your word,” was a statement of faith and also a statement of loving. As God fulfills the promise, God also asks us to participate. This is the third invitation for us today, to allow ourselves to participate in God’s wonderful plan.
Let our words, let our actions and let our very person become the embodiment of God’s presence today. The Season of Advent, after all, invites us that we become love and become loving in order to receive that greatest gift of love. Hinaut pa.
I don’t like surprises. Yes, there’s that element of excitement that one feels over it. But I think it’s in this certain sense of mystery and of unpredictability in surprises which makes it unwanting for me.
Zechariah was not ready for a surprise. For sure, in the course of time he had served God, he must had presented his desire to have at least a child. But the time he waited for God’s answer was long overdue. Being human and old, and his wife Elizabeth was found to be barren, his doubts were understandably considerable.
To doubt or misunderstand God’s purpose in our life is obviously easy. Even highly spiritual people are sometimes subject to doubt. Maybe because we don’t pay much attention to God’s intimate presence in our lives. Or perhaps we underestimate our value by magnifying our inadequacies.
But God’s power is not bound by human limitations or confined by our pessimistic views. These factors, therefore, are not deterrents to God’s promised plan of salvation.
God is faithful, and He keeps his promise. And he delivers it on time, by his time and by his way. He, who created the whole universe and guided the events of history to prepare the coming of the Messiah, is very much capable of accomplishing what He had begun. What may be under humanly impossible circumstances, God makes it possible. Because He specializes in the “Impossibles.”
However, to be able to appreciate God’s hands at work in our life, we must be open to what God can do in every situation, be it ordinary or extraordinary. And of course, to let God be God by patiently waiting for God to act in his time, in his ways.
Lord, God of surprises, may you give us eyes of faith to see you present in our life and ears of faith to hear you speaking to us. And may we learn to trust you enough in every step of the way. Amen.
Each of us might be waiting for something good to happen. Yet, we could have grown impatient because of waiting. But then, extend more our patience, God is preparing and it is coming. It really is. Just believe. But, why should we believe? Why risk in believing, in having faith in God? Well, because promises are made to be fulfilled.
Do you believe in this? Contrary to popular saying that “promises are made to be broken,” which applies to those who are bitter in their life, promises are indeed made to be fulfilled. So, please don’t be bitter, be better rather.
Promises are, certainly, made to be fulfilled. This what makes a promise, a promise. Using the philosophical language, “the very essence of a promise, is its fulfillment.” That is why, the very essence of the WORD is when it becomes FLESH. The very essence of what we speak and talk about, is when it becomes our action.
The very person of Jesus, our Lord, is the fulfillment of God’s promise. This promise of God started from the very beginning found in the Book of Genesis. When man and woman was driven out from paradise, God promised to be with them and to stay always with them. As God chose the people to be his own, God also promised to send a Savior, a Redeemer, a Messiah who will be with God’s people. This is what has been proclaimed in the first reading today. The Book of Jeremiah tells us that God proclaims his promise to save his people and give them security.
In fact, this points us to this “PROMISE OF GOD” that springs from the covenant made by God with humanity. The prophets told the people of this promise, the laws and decrees of God point also to this promise. The historical events and all those people in the Bible have prepared for the promise to be fulfilled.
So, what is this promise? Much better to ask, Who is this promise? He is the Emmanuel, the God who is with us. He is born from a virgin, the word that became flesh, he is JESUS, (whose names means “YAHWEH SAVES”.) JESUS, our Lord, is the very promise of the Father to us.
However, the fulfillment of the promise was tainted by a scandal of unfaithfulness and of a promise seemed to be broken. The arrival of Jesus seemed to be scandalous. This was the steaming aura at that time in the little town of Nazareth. In the ears of the neighbors of Joseph, what happened to Mary was scandalous. Mary and Joseph were already engaged but within that period of engagement Mary got (preggy) pregnant. The people in their village knew that Joseph was not the father. Joseph himself was confident that Mary’s child in her womb was not his. Joseph knew that the Jewish law would find Mary guilty of adultery. This was an act punishable by shame and death.
As it happens in small villages, Mary must have been a subject of gossips and fake news. Mary was judged without further investigation. The eyes and fingers of the people around her must have pointed and branded her to be a shame. In their eyes, the promise of the engagement was broken.
Joseph must have been in pain as well. He must have been confused and must have been very hurt. He must have felt betrayed. However, Joseph’s response to this was not out of anger or bitterness. In the heart of Joseph, he wanted to save Mary by divorcing her quietly. Joseph must have thought that Mary was in another relationship. To divorce her quietly will allow Mary to be engaged with the man who fathered the baby in her womb.
This difficult situation in Joseph, and the belief that he was betrayed, became the way for God to reveal the divine plan to this gentle and thoughtful man. God must have been waiting for the proper time when to reveal to Joseph the divine plan. Thus, when everything was in its place and when Joseph was ready enough, an angel revealed to Joseph the mind of God.
What Joseph realized in that deep dream was the fulfillment of what he was hoping for and the hope of all humanity, the joy of all. God’s presence made into flesh is that greatest joy of all, and the fulfillment of the promise because “Yahweh saves.”
Joseph began to see the scandalous situation of Mary’s pregnancy through the eyes of faith rather than his fears and disappointment, through God’s love rather than his anger and hate. Joseph now fully realized that this was the fulfillment of God’s promise, calling him also to fulfill his commitment.
From then on, Joseph saw and felt that what has been revealed to him was truly scandalous because God revealed Himself to him, because God has become man there in the womb of Mary just to be with us. It was scandalous because we thought that God is up there or out there in the heavens only, a place that no person can reach. But then Mary was preggy (pregnant). This blows our minds now, because through that unexpected pregnancy, God is telling us the He is intimately present with us. God is telling us that humanity can become pregnant with God.
Joseph understood that Mary’s pregnancy is a statement of God’s faithfulness and commitment to us. God commits himself to be our God. God commits himself to choose us as His people. This is God’s assurance to us now that he is present and he lives in the midst of our lives, in the midst of our pain, of our failures, of our disappointments, hurts and fears in order to bring to us His mercy, love and friendship.
What God is telling us now is this – that God chooses life and not death because God chooses to be born like us. God is telling us that he never gives up on us because His name is Jesus – the God who saves us. God is telling us that we are not alone in our difficulties because He is Emmanuel, the God who is with us who gives joy and hope.
May this reminds us now, that as God fulfills His promise to be with us and to be for us, we too are called to fulfill our commitments in our work or profession, among our friends and family, in our communities or organizations. May our commitment then, bring us into that realization that every time we fulfill our commitment, we also share in fulfilling God’s promise to be with us for we become God’s presence today. Hinaut pa.
A DOSE OF GOD TODAY 