GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Luke 1:26-38

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 favour 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 word of the Lord

 

Always Yes

We have reached the end of Lent, and as the mystery of the Cross draws near, this Gospel appears like an oasis in the desert. We contemplate the Annunciation as a great light that teaches us how to live the Cross. Our Lady’s Yes was neither naïve nor easy. Mary knew the Scriptures, and she knew that the path of the Messiah would pass through suffering. Even so, when the angel visited her, and without understanding everything, she responded with openness and trust: “Let it be done to me according to your word.” Mary knew that this Yes would involve pain, that a sword would pierce her mother’s heart, and yet she surrendered herself and accepted that God’s will be fulfilled in her.

The Lord also visits us in our daily lives—often in joy, but at other times through the Cross, in circumstances we do not understand, in difficulties, trials, moments of darkness… God speaks to us through the events of life and awaits our response, our trust in Him and in His plan for our marriage. How delicate God is: He does not impose Himself; He wishes to be welcomed and waits for our availability. Mary’s Yes allowed God to become incarnate in the world, and our small daily yes allows Jesus to become “incarnate” in some way in our ordinary life. Lord, who am I that you should want to count on me? Who am I that you should wish to share even a little of your Cross with me? From this sense of wonder, and united with Mary, we want to say to you: “Let your plan be fulfilled in our lives.”

 

 

Applied to married life:

Alicia: (in tears) Sam, the doctor was very clear… we can’t have children.

Sam: I still had hope, but after doing everything within our reach according to God’s law, when he said it, it felt like a stab inside.

Alicia: But how can this be? We always imagined a house full of children… we have so much love to give them…

Sam: It seems our life won’t be as we had imagined. It’s going to be very hard to accept that God has other plans… Perhaps He’s asking of us a different kind of fruitfulness, that we become spiritual parents to many souls, helping so many marriages to be born and to grow, marriages that need to discover God’s love…

Alicia: Now is when we must remember that nothing escapes God, that He allows everything for our sanctification, for our union with Him… that He is our Father, that everything about us matters to Him, and that even the hairs on our head are counted…

Sam: The Lord is visiting us through this cross. Lord, what are you coming to do in our hearts?

Alicia: Let’s unite ourselves to Mary; let’s offer her this immense pain so that she may present it to the Lord. And if you agree, let’s pray with trust, as Jesus and Mary did.

Sam: Lord, we unite our pain to yours. If you will, take this cup away from us, but not our will—yours be done.

Alicia: Let it be done in us according to Your Word. Amen.

 

Mother,

help us and teach us to say Yes to God always, as you did — with trust in Nazareth and with faithfulness at the foot of the Cross. Blessed and praised are you for ever!