Gospel of Luke 1:26-38
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to
me according to your word.”
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. In the famous gospel reading from Luke, the Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will conceive and bear a son Jesus. Our Blessed Mother is troubled by the angel's greeting and ponders what exactly is going on. Why is an angel of the Lord referring to her as full of grace? What does the angel mean when he says she will conceive a son as a young virgin? It all sounds like an unbelievable dream....
What I love about the story of the Annunciation of the Lord is our Blessed Mother's obedience. Yes, I'm sure she was startled, confused, and frightened by the angel's appearance. Most of us would be! However, she took the greeting with what I refer to as maternal classiness. She accepted God's will with the purest of humility. She may not have understood everything the Lord had planned; however, her faith provided the resilience necessary to accept the her gift of motherhood, however unique.
When I think of obedience, I look to Our Blessed Mother for inspiration and emulation. I hope others do the same. It's difficult to obey the rules in modern day society when so many people break the rules! It seems like being a disobedient twat instantly makes someone a YouTube star! Vandalizing, cheating, running red lights, being late to work, lying, stealing, etc...All of these forms of disobedience may look "fun" and exciting. People think they will never get caught. But, be forewarned. God is watching! When the right time comes, judgment will be handed out. From my own personal experience, every time I EVER attempted to disobey a rule or act inappropriately I received just punishment. I can't get away with anything!! So, I've had to learn some very hard lessons when it comes to obedience. It's best to follow the rules, obey the laws, and be temperate in my interactions on a daily basis. Most important of all is to follow the Commandments.
Mary accepted the gift of life in her virginal womb with tremendous grace, faith, humility, and resilience. She later accepted Jesus' death on the cross with the same virtues but with horrific grief mixed in. From the happiness of birth and the sadness of death: How did Our Holy Mother handle it? Did Mary cry herself to sleep? Did she remain humble and faithful toward God throughout her grief? Absolutely!
In times when we are tempted to disobey the rules, and tempted by sin, let us turn to Mary in prayer. Ask her for the guidance to emulate her obedience.
-J.
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. In the famous gospel reading from Luke, the Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will conceive and bear a son Jesus. Our Blessed Mother is troubled by the angel's greeting and ponders what exactly is going on. Why is an angel of the Lord referring to her as full of grace? What does the angel mean when he says she will conceive a son as a young virgin? It all sounds like an unbelievable dream....
What I love about the story of the Annunciation of the Lord is our Blessed Mother's obedience. Yes, I'm sure she was startled, confused, and frightened by the angel's appearance. Most of us would be! However, she took the greeting with what I refer to as maternal classiness. She accepted God's will with the purest of humility. She may not have understood everything the Lord had planned; however, her faith provided the resilience necessary to accept the her gift of motherhood, however unique.
When I think of obedience, I look to Our Blessed Mother for inspiration and emulation. I hope others do the same. It's difficult to obey the rules in modern day society when so many people break the rules! It seems like being a disobedient twat instantly makes someone a YouTube star! Vandalizing, cheating, running red lights, being late to work, lying, stealing, etc...All of these forms of disobedience may look "fun" and exciting. People think they will never get caught. But, be forewarned. God is watching! When the right time comes, judgment will be handed out. From my own personal experience, every time I EVER attempted to disobey a rule or act inappropriately I received just punishment. I can't get away with anything!! So, I've had to learn some very hard lessons when it comes to obedience. It's best to follow the rules, obey the laws, and be temperate in my interactions on a daily basis. Most important of all is to follow the Commandments.
Mary accepted the gift of life in her virginal womb with tremendous grace, faith, humility, and resilience. She later accepted Jesus' death on the cross with the same virtues but with horrific grief mixed in. From the happiness of birth and the sadness of death: How did Our Holy Mother handle it? Did Mary cry herself to sleep? Did she remain humble and faithful toward God throughout her grief? Absolutely!
In times when we are tempted to disobey the rules, and tempted by sin, let us turn to Mary in prayer. Ask her for the guidance to emulate her obedience.
If you tell God no because He won't explain the reason He wants you to do something, you are actually hindering His blessing. But when you say yes to Him, all of heaven opens to pour out His goodness and reward your obedience. What matters more than material blessings are the things He is teaching us in our spirit. - Dr. Charles Stanley
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