The Word of God
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel said to her, "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 holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God." Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.
Luke 1:26-38
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- Nothing is impossible with God. Have I ever had an experience of being a ‘highly favoured one’? When Jesus looks at me he sees a highly favoured one. Can I believe this?
- Can I dare to imagine that the Holy Spirit might want to intervene in a powerful way in my life too. Talk with Mary about her experience.
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- ‘Hail, Mary, full of grace!’ By our Baptism we too are ‘full of grace.’ Let us hear that greeting ourselves today and reflect on the responsibilities it brings.
- Our Lady’s obedience and acceptance is the model for our own. Let us say, ‘I am your servant, O Lord, let it be with me according to your word, whatever it may be!’
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- As Christians we hope for great things, humanly impossible things, for ourselves individually, for the Church and society. As we ask insistently we remember that ‘Nothing is impossible to God.’
- If things are difficult for me now, I try to say with Mary; ‘Let it be with me according to your word.’
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- Hail Mary, full of grace; Ave Maria, gratia plena. As Mary heard that greeting, she grew shy and confused. I can never plumb the meaning of God made man. But that mantra, Hail full of grace, engages my tongue while my mind tries to follow Mary’s in her joy and astonishment.
- The angel’s message troubled Mary. It was leading her into uncharted waters, into a life of unimaginable risk. She is willing to take the risk, and to trust God’s invitation. Lord, you ask me too to be your presence in the world. Your will be done.
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- Prayer is our time of allowing God be born in us. Moments can be ‘annunciation’ moments – big or small. The seed of God is born in us at birth and prayer is one way of ensuring the growth of this seed. Jesus is born among us where love, compassion and all that is important to God comes alive in the world.
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- A young woman feels irrevocably the touch of God upon her. Rooted in this personal encounter Mary entrusts her life, her reputation, her entire being to the divine plan for the good of the world. ‘All our mindsets are just matchbox size when it comes to holding the immensity and potential of God.’
- Lord, nothing is impossible to you. Overshadow me with your presence, so that I may not limit your power to my small and narrow boundaries. Enable me to entrust my life to you and to your plans for me.
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- For the previous 400 years, the voice of the prophets had been silent in Israel. The long silence is shattered by the tremendous tidings of today’s good news. When the silence in my life seems heavy and impenetrable, it can be broken at the most unexpected time and in the most unexpected circumstances. I must be still enough to hear the voice of God, courageous enough to act on it.
- Why is it that whenever we hear it said, ‘God’s will be done!’ it is almost invariably on sorrowful or tragic occasions? Do we ever hear this phrase at times of celebration and joy?
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- Like Mary, I too came into the world for a purpose. That purpose will not be revealed to me as dramatically as it was to her. Perhaps she heard the word of God so clearly because of her sinlessness. And also because of her silence: there was no clamour drowning it out. Too often I fear the emptiness, the darkness, the silence within me. Yet it is there that the Spirit lives and works, even when my prayer seems most arid. God, help me to go daily into the quiet of my own heart, to meet you there, in love and adoration.
- When Mary agreed to bring into the world the Light of the World, her words echo God’s own words on the first day of creation, ‘Let there be light!’ Lord, help me to bring your light into each day of my life.
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- The vast project of God for all of humankind is first revealed to a girl, in a small flimsy house, in an unknown town, on an uncertain date and hour. God has a sense of humour and smiles at what we think important. Let me savour this homely scene. Let me see things more and more as God sees them.
- God seems to like small things. We are surrounded by divine mystery everywhere. The dawn breaks, a bird sings, a baby cries; nature provides food and drink for us. Everything is strange and full of wonder. Lord, give me again the mind of a child to notice your presence and your action.
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- The angel's message troubled Mary. It was leading her into uncharted waters, into a life of unimaginable risk. She is willing to take the risk, and to trust God's invitation.
- Lord, you ask me too to be your presence in the world. Your will be done.
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- Can I allow God to say to me: ‘Greetings, favoured one!’? He does in fact greet me in this way, because I am his beloved, and always will be. I allow this greeting to touch my heart. Perhaps I might begin my prayer each day by letting him whisper these words to me before I start talking!
- I ask for grace to believe that nothing is impossible with God. This message runs through the whole of Revelation, starting with the promise to Abraham and Sarah that in their old age they will have a child. It ends with the picture of the new heavens and earth where God will dwell with us and wipe away every tear from our eyes.
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- I imagine that I am visiting Mary when the angel comes. I watch and listen breathlessly to their conversation as if I had never heard it before. When the angel vanishes I sit with Mary. My heart is full of admiration for her as she takes on the task God is giving her.
- When I leave Mary and go home, I carry her words in my heart, and beg that I may say them when God asks something of me. ‘Let it be with me according to your word.’ I ask to be sensitive to the ‘angels’ that may come my way today.
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- The angel's message troubled Mary. It was leading her into uncharted waters, into a life of unimaginable risk. She is willing to take the risk, and to trust God's invitation.
- Lord, you ask me too to be your presence in the world. Your will be done.
- Christmas highlights the belief that God is in all of us. We can ignore that, or we can help God be found in all of us. God is often deeply hidden, and God is active through each of us for each other. In the visit of Mary, God came close to Elizabeth in the ordinary and homely moments of every day. These Advent and Christmas days give us the space to allow the huge eternal mystery become part of the everyday.