Matthew 1: 18 – 24: “… Do not be afraid…”
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel” which means “God is with us”
Luke: 1 – 38: “I am the handmade of the Lord, may it be done to me according to Your Word”
Mary’s full obedience in faith brought about the wholehearted acceptance of the plan of God our Father, even though she did not understand what it all meant. Often, we would like to know more before we commit ourselves to anything. We do have the experience of obeying someone’s request when we know that person well enough. Herein lies one of the truths that we need to ponder upon. Do we know our Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit well enough? Submission to someone depends on us trusting that person. Do you trust the Lord enough to not ask questions and to take that leap of Faith towards Him? Faith is not a leap into the dark but a leap into the secure arms of God our Loving Father and trusting that the subsequent events that unfold are not by coincidence.
Mary’s faith in Christ never wavered. Mary is truly our model for the obedience in faith. Her humble and trusting response to the angel made possible the Incarnation – the unfolding of the salvation of all mankind.
Fear and doubts must have crossed both Mary and Joseph’s minds but their faith and trust in God allowed them to depend on each other and made possible the mission that was given to both of them.
Can we be like Mary and Joseph to embrace all the difficulties, fear and obstacles that come before us? Can we give glory to our Father who loves us and calls us?
Let Mary, Joseph and the Holy Family be our model to live our lives worthy of Christ’s divine love for us.
By Esther Lee
Ministry of Lectors