Gospel Reading: 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.
THE LORD IS WITH YOU
The angel Gabriel speaks these words to Mary as he greets her in Nazareth. This greeting troubles her because it is unusual, like the visitor himself. She does not know what it means. But we know. We agree that the Lord is with Mary; this is why he has chosen her to be the mother of his Son Jesus. She is the appropriate person to give birth to the savior of the world.
We Catholics are keen on the importance of Mary in the history of salvation as presented in the Gospel. Other Christian groups may totally disregard her and refuse to incorporate her in their faith. This is the result of a deeper problem brought about by historical reasons and different perspectives. Their selective reading does not allow them to see the whole picture of God’s revelation. They refuse to recognize her as a virgin, while the start of the passage clearly says, “The angel Gabriel was sent from God… to a virgin betrothed to a man…” (vv 26-27).
Mary has a special place in our hearts, because the Lord is with her and she is full of grace. She has proven to be a worthy mother of Christ. She accomplishes her mission to accompany her Son from birth to death. Who among us can outshine Mary in her total openness and availability to God’s Son?
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SOURCE: “366 Days with the Lord 2016,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.