Advent 4B.12; 2Sam 7;1-16; Rom 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38
Today we hear powerful words,
“The power of the Most High will overshadow you.” Lk 1:35
(Homily aid: Looking at a hand held statue of Mary/Madonna or a picture of OLGadalupe)
She stands before us this Sunday of Advent. A pregnant woman, her hand protectively covering her womb. She is a symbolic rendering of the young Mary, mother of Jesus, who is introduced to us in the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel. In this Advent season, in the middle of a culture that fills it with more things to do than any “angel singing o’er the plains” ever imagined, what does Luke tell us about Mary that can shape our Advent?
Face to face with the mighty angel Gabriel, Mary was “greatly troubled”. Gabriel announced God’s plan for her to conceive through the Holy Spirit & bear a son who would inherit the throne of David and rule forever.
And Mary, despite not having all the answers, was able to say:
We can read the gospel passage & marvel at Mary’s faith. Maybe we even envy that kind of faith. But it’s important to see that when he greeted her, Gabriel called Mary full of grace, not full of faith. Mary’s “yes” to God was the result of the grace God had given her, not the result of her own will power and forceful personality. And Mary will need this grace,
Mary was not just speaking the lines that God gave her, nor was she compelled to accept the scenario Gabriel described. Gabriel’s message began with “The Lord is with you” & concluded with “Nothing is
2 impossible with God.” Good words to remember when we’re confronted with a seemingly impossible task.
The key point for all of us is that in the final analysis, faith is not something we develop on our own. Faith is a gift given to us by a gracious, generous God. It’s a grace that God pours into us, a seed that is waiting to be plunged into the soil of our hearts. God sets us up “for” success.
My friends ….
an authentic life begins with the simple desire to be who God created us to be & to cooperate with God by playing the part God has designed for us in human history. The adventure of salvation begins when we stop asking. “What’s in it for me?” and turn knowingly humbly to God in our hearts and ask, “How may I serve? What work do you wish for me to do with my life? What is your will for my life?” This is how we become who we are.
We wait in joyful anticipation of the feast of Christmas. We know that the spark of divine life is within each of us, is yearning to reach out in acceptance, openness, & availability. God will give to each of us what is needed. At this Advent Liturgy, the last candle has been lit. The feast of Christmas is calling us to make space for this God of unconditional, endless, love. Christmas is calling us to live, to love,
… and to extend love to all others.
We may think we have weak faith,
but the truth is, like Mary before us, God has given us all the faith we will ever need. We just have to learn how to yield to this great gift.
So what do you think?
Can you say “yes” to God today?
Can you be a part of the Christmas Miracle?
Yes, you can.
God’s gift of grace, God’s Word guarantees it!
“The power of the Most High will overshadow you.” Lk 1:35
(Sources: Celebration, 12/11, God was with Her; The Word Among Us, 12/11; Rediscover Advent, Kelly)
Today we hear powerful words,
“The power of the Most High will overshadow you.” Lk 1:35
(Homily aid: Looking at a hand held statue of Mary/Madonna or a picture of OLGadalupe)
She stands before us this Sunday of Advent. A pregnant woman, her hand protectively covering her womb. She is a symbolic rendering of the young Mary, mother of Jesus, who is introduced to us in the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel. In this Advent season, in the middle of a culture that fills it with more things to do than any “angel singing o’er the plains” ever imagined, what does Luke tell us about Mary that can shape our Advent?
Face to face with the mighty angel Gabriel, Mary was “greatly troubled”. Gabriel announced God’s plan for her to conceive through the Holy Spirit & bear a son who would inherit the throne of David and rule forever.
And Mary, despite not having all the answers, was able to say:
“May it be done to me according to your word”.
The words are so simple, so faith filled, that we might miss out on what was behind them. By saying “yes” to the angel, Mary also said “no” to many things. She closed the door on an alternative life that had its own attractions: a life of quiet contemplation, out of the limelight, surrounded by friends & family, a life of simple joys & everyday challenges. And yet with just a few words, she put aside all her dreams to embrace God’s dreams instead.
In other words, Mary trusted in her God’s dreams ….
We can read the gospel passage & marvel at Mary’s faith. Maybe we even envy that kind of faith. But it’s important to see that when he greeted her, Gabriel called Mary full of grace, not full of faith. Mary’s “yes” to God was the result of the grace God had given her, not the result of her own will power and forceful personality. And Mary will need this grace,
… this power flowing within & through her.
The consequences of being unmarried & pregnant in the Jewish culture of the time were life threatening (being stoned to death). Mary had a radical trust to accept Gabriel’s breathtaking but scary message. Each of us has a calling just as Mary did maybe not as momentous … but just as real.
God chose to depend on Mary; likewise, God chooses to depend on us.
Mary was not just speaking the lines that God gave her, nor was she compelled to accept the scenario Gabriel described. Gabriel’s message began with “The Lord is with you” & concluded with “Nothing is
2 impossible with God.” Good words to remember when we’re confronted with a seemingly impossible task.
The key point for all of us is that in the final analysis, faith is not something we develop on our own. Faith is a gift given to us by a gracious, generous God. It’s a grace that God pours into us, a seed that is waiting to be plunged into the soil of our hearts. God sets us up “for” success.
My friends ….
an authentic life begins with the simple desire to be who God created us to be & to cooperate with God by playing the part God has designed for us in human history. The adventure of salvation begins when we stop asking. “What’s in it for me?” and turn knowingly humbly to God in our hearts and ask, “How may I serve? What work do you wish for me to do with my life? What is your will for my life?” This is how we become who we are.
We wait in joyful anticipation of the feast of Christmas. We know that the spark of divine life is within each of us, is yearning to reach out in acceptance, openness, & availability. God will give to each of us what is needed. At this Advent Liturgy, the last candle has been lit. The feast of Christmas is calling us to make space for this God of unconditional, endless, love. Christmas is calling us to live, to love,
… and to extend love to all others.
We may think we have weak faith,
but the truth is, like Mary before us, God has given us all the faith we will ever need. We just have to learn how to yield to this great gift.
So what do you think?
Can you say “yes” to God today?
Can you be a part of the Christmas Miracle?
Yes, you can.
God’s gift of grace, God’s Word guarantees it!
“The power of the Most High will overshadow you.” Lk 1:35
(Sources: Celebration, 12/11, God was with Her; The Word Among Us, 12/11; Rediscover Advent, Kelly)