December 20, 2020
4th Sunday of Advent
Our Gospel reading recounts the Annunciation to Mary. It is probably one of the most beloved scenes in the Gospel, this intimate moment between Mary and the Angel Gabriel, when a young girl says “Yes†to God. Artists use their imagination to paint this moment. Can we imagine the face of Mary when the angel first comes to her or when the angel leaves? Is Mary able to see Gabriel? Or perhaps she hears the angel’s voice and is aware of the angelic presence.
In the Bible angels are messengers from God. Those who receive “angels unaware†are not usually thrilled by it. People in Sacred Scripture recognize that when God sends an angel to you, some major re-arrangement of your life is in the works. St. Luke, the evangelist, describes a scary moment for a young girl who is greeted as “Hail full of grace! The Lord is with you.†She is deeply troubled at what is said and ponders what the greeting might be. “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.†How can Mary take it all in? “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.†Mary questions, “How can this be?†The angel says, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you… the child to be born will be called holy, the son of God.†Mary replies “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.†Then angel leaves.
Mary’s “yes†is significant. For her. For us. A new life stirs in her womb. Mary trusts that what is happening is part of God’s plan. She could not know how her life would unfold as we do when we meditate on the mysteries of the rosary: Annunciation, Visitation, Birth, Presentation, Finding, the hidden years, the wedding at Cana, her son’s crucifixion and death, his Resurrection and Ascension, Pentecost, and her Assumption.
Mary is our model of being a true disciple who listens, who trusts, who surrenders and who says Yes. Her words “I am the handmaid, the servant of the Lord†have meaning for us. Can we say “I am the servant of the Lord†when we find ourselves without a job? when we are extremely sick? When a family member has problems and turns to us repeatedly for help? When we find ourselves on ZOOM doing lessons from school with our children? When we face addiction? Can we say “I am a servant of the Lord†in giving witness to the sacredness of all human life? When I show respect and dignity for another person? Can we say “I am a servant of the Lord†when our life unfolds in ways we do not plan for, with people with whom we would choose not to be with?
The Annunciation is about Mary, the Angel Gabriel, the Holy Spirit, and the conception of Jesus. It is also about God coming to us, about God’s entrance into any human life not necessarily through an angelic announcement but in ways we can perceive, comprehend, and embrace. God comes to us through events, people, challenges, responsibilities, and family. Are we willing like Mary to see and to accept our role in God’s plan? Mary’s response to the Angel, her “yes,†is key to the promise of tremendous peace of Christmas.
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3rd Sunday of Advent
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Christmas
