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Gospel:

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.

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The tension in the Christmas story is building.

On Monday, we encountered Zechariah. The angel Gabriel promised him that his wife, Elizabeth, although elderly and barren, would conceive a son. But Zechariah was struck mute because of his unbelief.

Yesterday, doubt succumbed to faith. Mary was told a similar message from the angel Gabriel, that she, too, would conceive a son. But she responded humbly in faith, “Let it be done unto me according to your word.”

Today, she travels 80 miles into the hill country, seeking her elderly cousin, Elizabeth. Although Mary has great faith, and accepts God’s plans for her life, she cannot live it out alone.

She needs a friend.

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This is a beautiful element added to the Christmas story: friendship. 

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Think about the friends Mary makes along the way.

Today she finds comfort in Elizabeth.

When she gives birth to Jesus, she’ll be surrounded by Joseph, the shepherds, and the angels.

When she flees into Egypt, Joseph will protect her.

Even as the Lord is dying upon the Cross, Mary finds comfort in the Apostle John, who remains by her side and welcomes her into his home.

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Looking at our own journeys, when have we had such a friend, someone who supports us in our effort to live out our faith?

Are we such a friend for others?

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Like Mary, may these two elements of the Christmas story – faith and friendship – always be found in us.

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Image credits: (1) Pinterest (2) Bible Study, crosswalk.com (3) Bible Verses To Go

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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

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Gospel: 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.

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Once a year, a priest was chosen to enter the Holy of Holies, the innermost room of the Temple, where it’s believed God’s presence dwelt.

This was the closest a human being could be physically to God.

Zechariah was chosen to enter that day, to pray on behalf of an entire nation.

While this was a tremendous honor, the moment was bittersweet. Zechariah was not only placing the needs of his nation before the Lord; he was also interceding for his wife, Elizabeth, who was elderly and barren.

Zechariah and Elizabeth prayed their whole life for a child…and, suddenly, the angel Gabriel appears to him and says, “Your prayer has been granted.”

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The angel Gabriel will deliver a similar message to the Virgin Mary. “Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son.”

Mary responds to the angel in confidence, “Let it be done unto me according to your word.”

But Zechariah is filled with doubt. “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years,” he says. Zechariah favors human logic over divine providence.

For this reason, he’s struck mute. Scholars say that this was an act of mercy, preventing Zechariah from blaspheming against God while in the Holy of Holies.

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How often do we find ourselves in Zechariah’s position? We pray to the Lord, but in our heart of hearts we wonder if anything will really change?

 We favor human logic over divine providence.

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Today’s Gospel – and by extension the Advent season – reminds us to never give up. The elderly and barren conceive. The Virgin is found with child. The Word is made flesh and dwells among us.

Truly, nothing is impossible for God. 

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Image credits: (1) Busyblessedwomen.com (2) Zechariah’s Question to Gabriel, Aleteia (3) Lifehouse