The Virgin Mother

December 20, Monday

FOURTH WEEK OF ADVENT

 

         The two beautiful texts of today correspond to each other as promise and fulfillment of the promise.

         The child to be born of a young maiden as a sign of Israel’s salvation probably spoke directly of a son to be born to a king; yet, in later tradition and particularly in the Christian understanding, the text came to be understood as a messianic prophecy, which was fulfilled in Mary and the child born from her.

         Also noteworthy is the spirit of the fulfillment. The incarnation of Christ was the beginning of a real turning upside down of values, for example: salvation comes to the poor and humble, expresses itself in obedience and humble service, God’s power and majesty shows itself in his unostentatious approach to people, God becomes near in people, even death becomes a way to life.

 

First Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14

God spoke again to Ahaz. This time he said, “Ask for a sign from your God. Ask anything. Be extravagant. Ask for the moon!”

But Ahaz said, “I’d never do that. I’d never make demands like that on God!”

So Isaiah told him, “Then listen to this, government of David! It’s bad enough that you make people tired with your pious, timid hypocrisies, but now you’re making God tired. So the Master is going to give you a sign anyway. Watch for this: A girl who is presently a virgin will get pregnant. She’ll bear a son and name him Immanuel (God-With-Us).

 

Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin’s name, Mary. Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her:

Good morning!
You’re beautiful with God’s beauty,
Beautiful inside and out!
God be with you.

She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. But the angel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.

He will be great,
    be called ‘Son of the Highest.’
The Lord God will give him
    the throne of his father David;
He will rule Jacob’s house forever—
    no end, ever, to his kingdom.”

Mary said to the angel, “But how? I’ve never slept with a man.”

The angel answered,

The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
    the power of the Highest hover over you;
Therefore, the child you bring to birth
    will be called Holy, Son of God.

“And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.”

And Mary said,

Yes, I see it all now:
    I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve.
Let it be with me
    just as you say.

Then the angel left her.

 

Prayer

God of the poor and the humble,
we thank you today for choosing Mary
as the Virgin Mother of Jesus, your Son.
Her faith and willing service
opened the way to your new world.
Dispose us to seek your will
and to cooperate with your plans,
that we, too, like Mary,
may give to the world its Savior,
Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord. Amen.

 

Reflection:

Mary, the joyful expectation of the new-born

The birth of a new child in a family is always a moment full of joy and hope. But it is also, admittedly, a difficult moment. The mother goes through a trance that is not easy. The life that is born comes into the world in the midst of pain. The new-born is fragile, weak and demands the total attention of the parents. The joy of the birth will depend also on how far the parents desire for the child. That is why the expectation of birth is a time of hope but also of concern. Will everything go well?

But Mary overcomes her anxieties through faith. “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said” (v. 38). She had no doubts in this regard. No one had understood God’s plan. David, Nathan, Solomon, the kings of Israel had not understood it. All of them had put their dreams in opposition to God and expected God to help them to achieve their dreams. But, Mary does not behave like them; she does not put her personal plans before God. She only wants to know what is her role that God intends to entrust to her and she joyously welcomes his initiative.

Like every mother she would ask herself questions about the future of the child she was carrying in her womb. And she would not have all the answers. She could only trust the word of God she had received: what she carried in her womb was the work of the Spirit of God.

What does Mary teach us today? To prepare ourselves to celebrate Christmas is to have an open heart to the newness that God can bring into our lives at any time. Because God continues to be born in our world. God continues to be present among us. Sometimes in the most unusual ways, but always, for sure, among his favourites, the poorest, the simplest, those who have nothing. Blessed are we if we are able to discover that mysterious presence of God near us! Then we will be ready to celebrate Christmas.

Well, we do listen to lots of commentaries on the Gospel passage. Why not keep this question with you for today: am I able to discover that imminent presence of God in my family and in the society? Do I celebrate with joy the signs of God’s presence and life that I come across?

Video available on Youtube: Mary, the joyful expectation of the new-born