Isaiah 7: 10-14,
Psalm 24:1-2.3-4ab.5-6,
Luke 1:26-38 Full Readings
Mary's Fiat
Brethren, the readings of the last Sunday of Advent always turn to Mary, as she waits for her child to be born. Since the beginning of advent, we have seen different personalities who played an important role in the salvation history: the prophets who culminated with the greatest of them, John the Baptist, whom we have taken many days reflecting on him, Saint Joseph, who we were reflecting on last week, Zechariah, Elizabeth and others, and then this last week, we turn to Mary, whose greatest Fiat culminated the salvation history by giving birth to Jesus, the Lord, king and saviour of the world, the Messiah who was to come as promised long ago through the lips of the Holy Prophets. Let's implore Mother Mary to always show us the example in doing the will of God, and let's keep vigil with her as she undergoes labour and finally gives birth to Jesus on Christmas day.
Indeed, God is faithful! He has shown us signs of his faithfulness and favour. In the psalms we pray, "Lord, show me a sign of your favor" (Psalm 86:17). In the Old Testament God performed many signs and miracles to demonstrate his love and mercy for his people, such as their deliverance from slavery in Egypt and the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea on dry land (Psalm 78:43-53). When Ahaz, king of Judah and heir to the throne of David (735 B.C.) was surrounded by forces that threatened to destroy him and his people, God offered him a sign to reassure him that God would not abandon the promise he made to David and his descendants. King Ahaz, as we see in the first reading, however, had lost hope in God and refused to ask for a sign of favor. God, nonetheless, gave a sign to assure his people that he would indeed give them a Savior who would rule with peace and righteousness. The sign was that the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall name him Emmanuel; God is with us (Isaiah 7:11ff). Mathew sees this as the prophecy of the conception of Jesus by the Virgin Mary (Matthew.
The new era of salvation begins with the miraculous conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary. This child to be born is conceived by the gracious action of the Holy Spirit upon Mary, who finds favor with God (Luke 1:28). As Eve was the mother of all humanity doomed to sin, now Mary becomes the mother of the new Adam who will father a new humanity by his grace (Romans 5:12-21). Mary is a true hearer of the Word of God. She knows she is hearing something beyond human capability. It will surely take a miracle which surpasses all that God has done previously. Her question, "how shall this be, since I have no husband" is not prompted by doubt or skepticism and doubt like that of Zachariah, but by wonderment! She is a true hearer of the Word, and she immediately responds with faith and trust. Her YES was the beginning of the new, the messianic era because she accepted to conceive and give birth to the Messiah.
Mary's prompt response of "yes" to the divine message is a model of faith for all believers. Mary believed God's promises even when they seemed impossible. She was full of grace because she trusted that what God said was true and would be fulfilled. She was willing and eager to do God's will, even if it seemed difficult or costly. Mary is the "mother of God" because God becomes incarnate when he takes on flesh in her womb. When we pray the Nicene Creed, we state our confession of faith in this great mystery: "For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit, he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man".
Who is to be born? Today's Gospel describes the one to be born. This child to be conceived in her womb is the fulfillment of all God's promises. He will be "great" and "Son of the Most High" and "King'' and his name shall be called "Jesus" (Luke 1:31-32), which means "the Lord saves." "He will save his people from their sins'' (Matthew 1:21). The angel repeats to Mary, the daughter of the house of David, the promise made to King David: "The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there will be no end" (2 Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 1:32-33).
Brethren, God also gives us the grace to say "yes" to his will and to his transforming work in our lives. What is the key that unlocks the power and grace of God's kingdom in our personal lives? Faith and obedience for sure! God gives us grace and he expects us to respond with the same willing obedience and heartfelt trust as Mary did. When God commands, he also gives the help and means to respond. We can either yield to his grace or resist and go our own way. But the ideal is that we imitate our Blessed Mother and run to it. We must not only be open. We must not only submit. We must also allow every desire within our soul, every passion we have and every longing within us to work toward the accomplishment of God’s will. If all you desire is the fulfillment of the will of God, then when God reveals His will to you, you will more easily and more quickly be able to accomplish it just as Mary did.
Sometimes we think we are unworthy to carry out God's mission. God asked a huge favor from Mary, and he also asks huge favors from us too. This is God's humility; He approaches a young girl to ask her to be the mother of his Son. The humility of God the Son becoming man was preceded by the humility of God the Father requesting a favor from his creature, Mary. Are our responses the same as the one of Mary in responding to God's humility? Our responses can tend to differ from Mary’s incredible “yes.” We sometimes respond like St. Peter in Luke’s Gospel (Luke 5:8): “Leave me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Although we’re all sinners, we don’t want to overplay our unworthiness because we know that our “yes” is contingent not on our capacities but on God’s. Mary understood who she was. She knew she was a lowly creature, but she believed that God could work through her. She sought to understand more through her gentle question, how will this be since I have no husband? Let us also seek more fully to understand the mysteries of God so that we can better carry out his plan for our life.
Today's O Antiphon reveals the one who is to come as the KEY OF DAVID
O Key of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness!
Let us Pray
Heavenly Father, you offer us abundant grace, mercy, and forgiveness through your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Help me to live a grace-filled life as Mary did by believing in your promises and by giving you my unqualified 'yes' to your will and plan for my life. Amen
Be blessed
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