Fourth Sunday of Advent: Gospel B
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.
The people of Galilee were looked down upon by the people of Jerusalem and Judea. Nazareth was one of the insignificant communities in Galilee. And yet, God chooses someone from this "hole in the wall" to be the Mother of the Messiah. God’s ways are not human ways.
The fact that she is betrothed means that in those days she is still quite young, still living with her parents, but expecting to be married within the year. Normally, betrothal lasted a year before the time her betrothed would come to take her to his house for the wedding night. 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.
How has God unexpectedly broken into your life in the past? What was your response?
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."
From the beginning of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is identified as Savior (the meaning of "Jesus"); as Son of the Most High; as the Son of David; as King.
But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?"
It will make more sense if we read the angel saying, "you have conceived already" as a given fact. This makes Mary’s response more understandable.
Mary is still thinking from a human point of view: the natural way a child is conceived is between a man and a woman. 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.
The angel reveals that the conception will take place through the miraculous work of God through the power of the Holy Spirit and not through man.
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."
As a confirmation of what God’s mighty power can do, Mary is told about Elizabeth’s conception in her old age.
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.
Are you able to have the same attitude to God’s plan when you don’t understand it? Are you able to totally surrender to the will of God, no matter the consequences.
About the Author
Jesus said that we are to go to the ends of the world, proclaiming the Gospel of Salvation. Our recent Holy Fathers have urged us to use the social media to accomplish this task. This is just one attempt to respond to both calls. Join me in this effort.
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