Date: Sunday, December 21, 2014
Did Mary see the angel? Remember angels are beings of light and mysterious messengers from God! The evangelist St. Luke emphasizes not the vision of the angel but the angel’s voice. Mary is deeply troubled upon hearing the greeting of the angel. Gabriel calms Mary’s fear and requests that she become the mother of the son of the Most High. Mary ponders what the angel is saying and asks how can this be? Gabriel explains it will be through the Holy Spirit that she will conceive God’s son, Jesus. Mary reflects on the message and replies that she is the servant of God. “Let it be done to me according to your Word.” She surrenders to God and becomes part of God’s plan. Mary is a beautiful model of discipleship: listening, pondering, questioning, reflecting, saying “yes” and faithfully living God’s Word. Later in the Gospel, Luke 11:27-28, a woman in the crowd cries out: “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” Jesus responds: “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” Jesus himself places the higher priority on Mary being his disciple. In the Acts of the Apostles, the continuation of the Gospel according to St. Luke, Mary is with the disciples in prayer after the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Together in the upper room they receive the Holy Spirit and give birth to the Church. During these remaining few days of Advent, we can pray with Mary to intercede for us that we too will become true disciples of her son, Jesus Christ.