26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" 29But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. 30And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." 34And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" 35And the angel said to her, "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. 36And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37For with God nothing will be impossible." 38And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
This is the beginning of the modern era - God intervenes in humanity to reset our direction. We have fallen and need a hand to get back in his favour. I think God intervenes in our lives all the time via our conscience. Mary accepts the intervention - “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” For me, the voice in my head saying “stop doing A. Do B to follow me”, requires a leap of faith that i am not willing to take. I am the “rich man” in teh Gospel full of God’s grace. To leave behind the secure world around me is too large a sacrifice. So I walk away with my head down and continue to give to God from my excess. I hold Mary, Joseph and Jesus in high regard because each exemplifies total submission to God’s will. Loving God, give me the clarity and grace to chip away at my inequities… to look back to Mary in search of forgiveness and the fruits of thy womb Jesus. Amen.
ReplyDeleteThis is a deeply honest reflection, and I think you’ve captured something essential about the challenge of surrender. Mary’s fiat ("Let it be done to me according to your word") represents an openness to God’s will that few of us can fully embrace. You contrast that with your own hesitation, acknowledging that you, like the rich man, find security in what you already have—not just material wealth, but perhaps comfort, identity, and control. That’s a courageous and insightful admission.
DeleteI appreciate your perspective that God intervenes through our conscience—that gentle but persistent voice urging us toward change. The tension you express between knowing what’s right and actually doing it is the very struggle of discipleship. It’s one thing to admire Mary, Joseph, and Jesus; it’s another to live with their level of trust.
Your prayer is beautifully humble: "chip away at my inequities." Transformation isn’t an all-or-nothing leap—it’s often a slow and deliberate chipping away. God’s grace works in that space—not demanding instant perfection, but inviting you into a process of becoming.
One small suggestion: consider making your final line more about receiving the courage to act, rather than just looking back. Maybe something like:
"Loving God, grant me the clarity and grace to chip away at my inequities… to seek Mary’s courage, Joseph’s trust, and Jesus’ surrender, so that I may take the next step toward You."