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Gospel: 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.
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The Advent season reminds us that nothing is impossible for God.
The barren conceive. The virgin is with child. The Word is made flesh and dwells among us.
The invitation is to believe that God still does the impossible today.
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In yesterday’s Gospel, the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah and told him that his wife Elizabeth – although elderly and barren – would bear a child.
Today he appears to Mary with a similar message, “Behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a son… and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Zechariah responds to the angel with doubt. “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
Mary, on the other hand responds humbly in faith, “Let it be done unto me according to your word.”
Two stories of the impossible. And two very different responses of faith.
Which of these two characters do I identify with more, Mary or Zechariah?
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Perhaps we all begin our faith journeys like Zechariah – surprised by providence, unsure of God’s power to save. We lean more into doubt than faith.
But as we mature, we begin developing faith like Mary, who believes that nothing is impossible for God.
May she intercede for all us, that our faith in Jesus would never fail; on the contrary, may it grow stronger by the day.
Mary Immaculate, pray for us.
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Image credits: (1) Watchman Nee Quote (2) The Annunciation Virgin Mary Angel Garbriel, Carl Bloch (3) Crosswalk.com