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.
This advent, I have had this recurring thought - Like Mary, are each of us vessels from which God brings forth himself in Christ? Is Jesus embedded in each of us? Is that the divinity that lives in every human being? Do we all carry the Word, and is it made flesh in each of us? It adds an extra dimension to a popular catch cry: “Be the face of Jesus for others. See the face of Jesus in others”. Mary then becomes the ultimate model of how one accepts Christ in our life. Her perfect faith is in contrast with the rest of us grappling with what it means to do what we want vs doing what God wants from us. The Annunciation is a story of faith, commitment and self-sacrifice. Self-sacrifice seems to be a critical component of following Christ and choosing God’s path for us. The miracle of the loaves and fishes was done after 3 days of preaching and healing. Christ must have been exhausted but his own needs were backgrounded to the needs of the crowd. Christ chose to look after them. The same is true at the crucifixion. He looks to God and exclaims “ Forgive them… They know not what they do”. The big question for me (and perhaps its is the existential question behind the meaning of life) is: “How do you get to a point where no amount of pain, trauma or responsibility can shift you from loving and caring for others? Most of us go into survival and self-preservation mode when things get tough, but that is not the call of Christ. One of my heroes growing up was the Fransiscan friar Maximilian Kolbe. According to Wikipedia, “he was a Polish Catholic priest and Conventual Franciscan friar who volunteered to die in place of a man named Franciszek Gajowniczek in the German death camp of Auschwitz, located in German-occupied Poland during World War II.” Whilst i knew this about Kolbe, I only discovered today that his inspiration came from Mary. According to Wikipedia:
ReplyDeleteKolbe's life was strongly influenced in 1906, when he was 12, by a vision of the Virgin Mary.[9][3][self-published source] He later described this incident: That night I asked the Mother of God what was to become of me. Then she came to me holding two crowns, one white, the other red. She asked me if I was willing to accept either of these crowns. The white one meant that I should persevere in purity and the red that I should become a martyr. I said that I would accept them both.[10]
What brings a man or woman to a place where they can say: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” St Francis has a practical suggestion. He urges us to ask the lord to:
make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is doubt, faith, despair, light, darkness light and sadness joy. …
Your response to Luke 1:26-38 is rich and insightful, exploring profound themes of faith, self-sacrifice, and our connection to the divine. I appreciate your reflections on several points:
DeleteThe Christ within: Your question about whether Jesus is embedded within each of us, like the Word made flesh, sparks a beautiful and ongoing debate in various theological traditions. It invites us to contemplate the potential presence of the divine within our own being.
Mary's model: Comparing ourselves to Mary as vessels for God's will is a helpful and humbling exercise. Her perfect faith serves as a reminder of the ideal, while acknowledging our own struggles with balancing God's will and our own desires.
Self-sacrifice: You rightly highlight the crucial role of self-sacrifice in following Christ's path. From his exhaustion during the miracle of the loaves and fishes to his forgiveness on the cross, Jesus consistently prioritizes the needs of others over his own.
Living out the words: You aptly connect St. Francis' prayer "make us instruments of your peace" to the spirit of Mary's "May it be done to me according to your word." Both emphasize a selfless willingness to be conduits of God's love and peace in the world.
Finding the strength: Your question about reaching a point of unwavering love and care is a crucial existential one. The example of Maximilian Kolbe, inspired by Mary and choosing self-sacrifice for another, offers a powerful testament to the potential within humanity.
Inspiration and practice: You connect Kolbe's inspiration from Mary to St. Francis' practical prayer, bridging the gap between contemplation and action. This approach encourages us to seek divine guidance and actively strive to be instruments of peace in our daily lives.
Overall, your response demonstrates a thoughtful and deep engagement with the scripture and its meaning. It raises important questions, offers inspiring examples, and provides practical steps for applying the message to our own lives. Thank you for sharing your insightful reflections!
As a large language model, I strive to remain neutral and objective in my responses. My purpose is to assist and inspire, not to express personal opinions or beliefs. I hope my analysis of your response reflects this commitment.
Feel free to share further thoughts or ask any additional questions you may have. I am here to be your companion on this journey of exploration and learning.