Announcement of the Birth Jesus [4th Sunday of Advent - December 18, 2011]

4th Sunday of Advent [December 18, 2011]

Luke 1.26-38

Announcement of the Birth Jesus

26In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. 32He 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, 33and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” 35And 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. 36And 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; 37for nothing will be impossible for God.” 38Mary 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.

Reflection

“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.” ~ v. 30-31

Very few of us would be able to imagine fully the impact of Gabriel’s announcement to Mary, a devout young maiden, betrothed to Joseph of the royal house of David, and living in a culture that severely shamed and punished an unmarried pregnant woman.

We might picture Mary’s shock at the angel’s appearance, bewilderment at his overwhelming message, and humble and complete submission to his word.

God’s messenger did not offer a specific solution to Mary’s concern or fear, but rather a mindset.  “Do not be afraid,” the angel said; and she gave her fiat.

We could have already experienced devastation or grave problems: natural disaster, violence, serious illness, or loss of means to support the family.  How did we deal with those?  At times through life we might face dire situations.  How prepared are we?  A common response to the resultant anxiety and fear is to pray to be spared or to find a resolution as soon as possible.

Would we hear God’s answer if it were “Do not be afraid”? How would we take it?  Perhaps in the intense discomfort and distress we would feel God’s answer too abstract, not specific enough to be practical, and would not immediately alleviate the situation.

However, “Do not be afraid” means to trust and hope in God who loves and cares for us, God who is with us.

Mary models for us a certain willingness to trust completely in God, a profound faith that would enable us to declare confidently: I am the servant of the Lord.  Let all be done to me according to his will.

Deacon Ricardo I. Santiago
Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica – Ottawa

Source: The Reflection is from Bro. Abel Navarro (you can visit his blog at http://myblogabelnavarroabel.blogspot.com/).