GOSPEL

How does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

From the Gospel according to Luke 1:39-45

Mary set out in those days and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said,

“Most blessed are you among women,

and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.”

The Gospel of the Lord

It’s Mary!

The experience of Elizabeth is familiar to us because we have also felt that joy and a sense of unworthiness in prayer before Mary, the Full of Grace. Who else is better than her to bring us closer to the Lord? Who else is better than her to fill us with the Holy Spirit? It’s Mary!

Applied to Married Life:

Phil: My life has undergone a transformation on all levels since we consecrated ourselves to Mary.

Margaret: I’ve noticed it too. A series of circumstances and events have been unfolding since then, shaping and guiding our lives.

Phil: It’s true that we’ve had to remain faithful to the consecration, trusting in God, like Elizabeth, who remained steadfast in fidelity to God, and He granted her a child when it seemed impossible.

Margaret: Well, it’s true that along the way, God tests our trust. We must continue to stand firm in our faith.

Mother,

How does this happen to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? Blessed are you forever, Mother full of grace.

GOSPEL

You will conceive in your womb and bear a son.

From the Gospel according to Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “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. He 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, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And 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. And 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; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary 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.

The Gospel of the Lord

Gentleness

God intervenes directly, changing the course of human history. Here, it is the angel who, by divine command, enters the presence of Mary as the actor in this beautiful scene starring Mary.

The workings of God are incredibly beautiful, displaying an unmatched tact and gentleness. Because God does not use force when He intervenes in our lives. He respects our freedom and invites us to the greatness of our vocation.

Applied to married life

Andrew: I contemplate the beauty of the Annunciation and see gentleness and greatness on God’s part, and delicacy and humility on Mary’s part. But always gentleness.

Julie: Yes, everything that comes from God is infused with charming beauty and harmony. I am amazed when I contemplate them.

Andrew: That’s why I believe that when we are going to communicate something from God to each other, that beauty, humility, and gentleness must necessarily be present. Without these elements, we are not being a channel of God’s grace

Julie: I would be wonderful if we could always uphold that beauty and gentleness. Shall we make it a commitment?

Andrew: Great idea!

Mother,

You captivate me. I could spend countless hours absorbed in this scene. I love you Mother, I love you Lord.

GOSPEL

Gabriel announces the birth of Jhon the Baptist

From the Gospel according to Luke 1:5-25

In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years.

Once when he was serving as priest in his division’s turn before God, according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.”

Then Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel said to him in reply, “I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.” Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute. Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home.After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, “So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.”

The Gospel of the Lord

It seemed impossible.

Perhaps God wants to give me the greatest surprise of my life, just as He did with Zechariah, granting him the long-awaited son when they thought it was impossible. And what a son! None other than the greatest man born of woman. But maybe the wonderful story that God has planned for me is clouded by my lack of trust in Him. Perhaps He is waiting for it to appear as an impossible scenario, ensuring that I recognize His hand in it rather than attributing success to my own efforts.

That is my experience. When I thought our love was impossible, when I was unable to solve it on my own and asked for help, He, through Mary, called me to make it new from Him, with Him, and for Him. And He did it, in His own way. Slowly, with different pace between my husband and me, amidst many clumsiness and missteps, we gradually stopped being blind and began to see and live our marriage as God intended. I have no doubts anymore. Just as He transformed my situation, I know He will do it with you. That’s why I have full faith that He will make you experience love as He wants you to, if you are docile, accept His plans, and make a sincere effort. Care to make a bet?.

Applied to married life:

Marcus: Mary, there’s a couple over there with a lot of problems and many wounds. They are suffering a lot.

Mary: I’ll talk to them, don’t worry.

(A few days later)

Marcus: Mary, did you manage to talk to that couple?

Mary: Yes, but unfortunately, there seems to be no solution.

Marcus: Didn’t you mention that the Lord can make all things new?

Mary: Indeed, but they must be open to humble their pride. The only barrier to God entering is a hardened heart, one that no longer believes in anything and relies solely on reason—a heart that thinks the solution lies outside of itself. They need a softened heart, a contrite and humble heart that God does not despise.

Marcus: They are my friends. Let me talk to them.

(A few months later)

Marcus: Mary, they’re ready. With the help of the Spirit, I managed to help them understand that if they continue on this path, they will continue to experience sadness, pain, and lack of love. They are eager to have a wonderful marriage but don’t know how. They are willing to let themselves be guided by us and, above all, by the grace of God.

Mary: Hallelujah! They are saved! Let’s go for it. I’ll call them today. The Lord will work wonders for them.

Mother,

We often see ourselves as the main character of our story, yet the true protagonist is the Lord. Understanding this has been crucial in our life as spouses. The moment I shift my perspective from viewing my husband as an obstacle to following Your instructions, “Do whatever He tells you,” is the day the miracle begins. A love is born within us that serves as the precursor to “The Love” that will follow. Praise be to the Lord, who has been great and generous to us. Amen.

GOSPEL

Jesus will be born from Mary, betrothed to Josep, son of David.

From the Gospel according to Matthew 1:18-24

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.”

When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Welcome what comes from God.

Today the Gospel tells me to not be afraid and welcome what God wants to convey to you through your spouse, because it comes from the Holy Spirit. Name it according to Holy Scripture or Doctrine to ensure that it comes from the Holy Spirit, and if it is consistent with the Truth, embrace it without fear. If not, ask yourself what God wants from that situation He has allowed.

All this will happen to fulfill the truth of the Sacrament of Marriage, through which my spouse is a minister of God’s grace for me. That is my vocation, just as Joseph’s was to be the husband of Mary and the father of Jesus, to fulfill the scripture.

Applied to married life:

Helen: Yesterday, in our marital embrace, you asked me for something that I believe is inconsistent with the dignity of the children of God. I wondered what God wanted from that situation, and I realized that I had to talk to you about the wonderful dignity you have. In addition to being a child of God, a temple of the Holy Spirit, bought at the price of Christ’s Blood, you are a minister of God’s grace for me. I wanted to remind you of this so that you keep it in mind at all times. You are a minister of God’s grace for me, and I am attentive to what you say or do or ask of me, because I hope that you truly are. I ask that whenever you act with me, it be in accordance with the immense dignity that God has conferred upon you.

Peter: You are right, Helen. Thank you for telling me. Your words come from God and,  are clearly for me. Thank you for being His mediator. I am very grateful to God for having you, and I promise to respond to this wonderful gift with the dignity it deserves.

Helen: Thank you for embracing this message with such opennes,  for your simplicity and nobility. I wouldn’t have welcomed it with such humility. Now you are truly being a witness to God’s action for me. Thank you.

Mother,

May we always be attentive to God’s voice, discerning the circumstances or advice we receive. Once discerned that it comes from God, may we be open to doing what He asks, however strange it may seem to us at times. With this simplicity, we are ready to welcome the Child Jesus with everything He wants to bring into our lives. Praise be to God.

Gospel

From the Gospel according to John
Jn 1:6-8, 19-28

A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. And this is the testimony of John.
When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, “Who are you?”
He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Christ.”
So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?”
And he said, “I am not. “Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”

So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?”
He said: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘make straight the way of the Lord,’” as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?”
John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The Gospel of the Lord.

The bar is set so “low.”

I am not the Messiah either. And you? If the Lord, who is so great… so great… so great… clothes Himself in a piece of bread and allows Himself to be consumed, what should I, who am so small… so small… so small… do? As things are I am not to complain, not to demand that I be valued, it seems to me.

John´s confession should be made by me every minute of my life, in every good act, to acknowledge that it is not me who does it but Christ who is the source of all good. He, whom I don’t even deserve to unstrap the sandals of, a typical task of a slave in that era. I don’t deserve to be His slave, and yet, He completely gives Himself to me.

Before Him, I present myself every day so that He allows Himself to be consumed. And I am ashamed of my ridiculous pride, and I marvel at His divine humility.

Here we wait for You, King of Kings, with the empty manger of our soul and our heart.

Applied to Married Life:

Sharon: What are you doing, Andy?

Andy: I am counting the times I have put myself above Our Lord.

Sharon: And how is the count going?

Andy: Well, I see that there are fewer grains of sand on the beach than acts of pride on my part. I don’t know what to do now with all this, because Christmas is in a few days. What do I offer to the Baby Jesus?

Sharon: How sweet you are. You are becoming more and more like a child. I believe you can offer the Lord this feeling of yours. He will love it.

Mother,

The Lord has set the bar so “low” that it makes it impossible for us to lower ourselves and stand behind Him. What great greatness there is in His humiliation. Praise be to the Father who sent Him to be a Witness of His love for us.