Fr Kevin Kilgore

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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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Some have narrowed the spiritual life down to three general movements: surprise, consolation, and desolation. 

Mary experiences all three of them in today’s Gospel.

“Surprise” represents those unexpected moments in our lives when we see God acting – a new door opens; we get accepted into our dream college; we receive a promotion at work; we hear the call to priesthood, to marriage; or a prayer is answered.

In Mary’s case, the angel Gabriel appears to her, telling her that she shall bear the Son of God in her womb. Like us at times, she’s “surprised.” A new door has opened; her future has changed.

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When we’re “surprised” by God’s intervention, often he gives us his “consolation” – a feeling of deep peace and acceptance. We see this with Mary when she says, “May it be done unto me according to your word.”

Though she’s humbled by her future, she accepts it willingly and peacefully.

That feeling of peace lasts for an indefinite period of time – days, weeks, even years.

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But after the consolation leaves, often desolation follows. Desolation is the feeling of God’s absence. It’s what Jesus felt while nailed to the Cross as he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

Mary must’ve felt some desolation, too, after the angel Gabriel parted from her.

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So, what’s my own spiritual life like? Am I experiencing a moment of surprise? Is God doing something new, something unexpected? Am I experiencing consolation? Or am I feeling some desolation?

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In spite of the spiritual roller coaster she was on, Mary persevered. 

So can we. 

The key, in her words, is saying, “May it be done unto me according to your word.”

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Image credits: (1) Heartfulness (2) Annunciation, Fra Angelico (3) Mary’s Way, Pinterest

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Gospel: Luke 1:39 – 45

Mary set out
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, 
“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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A few weeks ago, I baptized my nephew, Michael Judson. He’s my brother’s third child, making me a very proud uncle once again.

My two older nieces, Victoria and Amelia, were delighted to meet their baby brother after nine long months of staring at their mother’s belly, asking, “Mommy, when is baby Michael coming?”

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Pregnancy is, perhaps, among the most intimate of human experiences. I can imagine an expectant mother rubbing her belly, feeling her child forming slowly, silently beneath her heart. Perhaps there’s an occasional kick, reminding her of her baby’s growing presence within.

It’s a type of bond that only mothers share, including the expectant mothers, Mary and Elizabeth, in today’s Gospel.

Interestingly, this is the only story in the Gospels between two women….and they’re both pregnant.

Mary, a poor, unwed, teenage mother-to-be, and Elizabeth, a barren, elderly woman, who never expected to conceive. Two stories of grace; two stories of God making the impossible – possible; two stories of what happens when God acts in someone’s life. 

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While each pregnancy will be a blessing, neither Mary nor Elizabeth saw this coming. In fact, the Gospel tells us that Mary was “afraid” when the angel Gabriel first appeared. He announces this “good news” that Mary will bear the Son of God in her womb.

But after she accepts the Lord’s will, Gabriel disappears, leaving Mary alone. What is she to do? How will she tell Joseph? Will he leave her a single mother? Will this child cost her everything?

Mary needs comfort. She needs an open ear, a warm embrace, which is why she travels 80 miles to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who’s also miraculously conceived.

Upon her arrival, Mary finds in Elizabeth’s embrace things she couldn’t find on her own: Community. Affirmation. Friendship. Belonging. Understanding. 

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Can we see something of our own parish experience in that embrace?

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The first pillar of our mission at St. Pius X is to, “Build Community.” Here we seek to offer the same things Mary found in Elizabeth’s embrace: Community. Affirmation. Friendship. Belonging. Understanding.

When Mary visited Elizabeth, the veil of isolation was removed. They found support in one another, as they began seeing their lives in the context of a much larger story. God was doing something BIG and they were each a part of it.

Part of the reason why we gather each Sunday is to feel that same sense of connectedness that Mary found with Elizabeth. God is doing something BIG here – he’s renewing the life our parish – and we’re each a part of it.

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But, where’s the invitation this week? What is the Gospel inviting us to do?

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Perhaps we’re being invited to act like Mary – to seek others out. Think of how many people there are around us awaiting the opportunity to experience a sense of community and belonging.

Our mission is to bring them here, to welcome them, to offer them support. As our vision statement reads, we are, “All generations journeying together with Jesus to satisfy our hungry hearts. Come and see!”

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Who can I invite to join us? Who can I ask to, “come and see”?

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Pregnancy is, perhaps, among the most intimate of human experiences. It’s something only expectant mothers feel.

But the support and affirmation found between Mary and Elizabeth is something that everyone can feel – and extend – to their neighbor.

As we continue growing as a parish, may we set out in haste, welcoming everyone with that same embrace.

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(1) The Visitation, James Jankgnet (2) The Visitation of Mary and Elizabeth, Jen Norton Art Studio (3) St. Pius X, High Tea at High Noon

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Gospel: Matthew 1: 1-17

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,
the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham became the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. 
Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah,
whose mother was Tamar. 
Perez became the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab. 
Amminadab became the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz,
whose mother was Rahab. 
Boaz became the father of Obed,
whose mother was Ruth. 
Obed became the father of Jesse,
Jesse the father of David the king.

David became the father of Solomon,
whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. 
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asaph. 
Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
Joram the father of Uzziah. 
Uzziah became the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. 
Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amos,
Amos the father of Josiah.
Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers
at the time of the Babylonian exile.

After the Babylonian exile,
Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. 
Abiud became the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok. 
Zadok became the father of Achim,
Achim the father of Eliud,
Eliud the father of Eleazar. 
Eleazar became the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. 
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Thus the total number of generations
from Abraham to David
is fourteen generations;
from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations;
from the Babylonian exile to the Christ,
fourteen generations.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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There are some pretty scandalous characters mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus – everyone from fools, liars, and con artists, to adulterers, murderers, and prostitutes!

After listing 42 generations from our own family tree, we might find a bad apple or two, as well. 

But this is Jesus’ family tree, not ours.

It would seem God would’ve chosen only men and women of honor – not sinners – to prepare the way for his Son.

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But he didn’t.

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And herein lies a lesson for us.

People often lead messy lives. We make mistakes. We write pages we wish we could erase, just like some of those listed in Jesus’ family tree. 

Though imperfect, God still used them to prepare the way for his Son’s first coming.

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Similarly, God can use anyone to prepare the way for his Son’s second coming.

We don’t have to be perfect to be instruments of God’s grace. We only need to be willing. 

As we reach the end of this season of Advent, how have we been instruments of God’s grace? How might we continue to be today?

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Do some small gesture of love, and you will prepare the way for Christ. 

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Image credits: (1) tektonministries.org (2) Plain Truth Ministries (3) Assumption Church DC