April 9, 2018

Gospel: Lk 1:26-38
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God, to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to a virgin, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean. But the angel said, “Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear a son; and you shall call him Jesus. He will be great, and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the kingdom of David, his ancestor; he will rule over the people of Jacob forever; and his reign shall have no end.” Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the holy child to be born of you shall be called Son of God. Even your relative, Elizabeth, is expecting a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child; and she is now in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible.” Then Mary said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said.” And the angel left her.

Reflections
BE IT DONE UNTO ME
ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD.
If we reflect on the context of these words of Mary, we are astounded how a young girl of about 15 or 16 could utter these words of total surrender and to what? To become an unwed mother. If now, there is so much shame felt by young teenage girls who find themselves in such a situation. What more in the time of Mary. Just to be a mother at 16 is a great burden, how much more if one would be judged to be an unwed mother. She could not even open up to Joseph. Joseph had to learn it from a dream. This total surrender of Mary at such a young age will be her permanent and constant attitude in the years to come. As we will see in the following years, she would experience things she could not understand – all related to her son and we read like a refrain: AND SHE KEPT ALL THESE IN HER HEART. So her whole life was a FIAT — BE IT DONE UNTO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD. Mother Mary, pray that we, too, may be able to
follow your example and say FIAT to the things that happen and will happen in our lives.

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