God never forces us to make a choice. He created us with a free will which offers us the ability to decide what we will do. Based upon that, the decision by the Blessed Mary Virgin as a an illiterate teenager to say “yes” to God at the Annunciation is the most profound decision made by a human being in the history of humanity. It opened the pathway for salvation not only for the Israelites but also for all gentiles who accepted Jesus into their hearts.
As
a disciple, I can appreciate the difficulty this must have been for Mary, being
confused, about what the Angel Gabriel said to her about being blessed and in
God’s favor and frightened about conceiving since she had no relations with a
man. And, yet, when it was explained to
her she was ready to do whatever was needed.
That is why she is the first disciple.
She was hand-picked by God to be the mother of the Messiah who was
promised by God to the remnant of Jews from the time of King David, six
centuries earlier.
Mary’s faith and trust in God allows her to make her decision of love unconditionally, not only at the time when she was asked but through her entire life. In her own simple way she understood this would include suffering on her part as it relates to having a child who is the incarnate personage of God and man. Jesus will not only change the world, but will make the ultimate choice to suffer and die on a cross for our sins to accomplish it. It is about these matters that Simeon remarked to Mary at Jesus’ circumcision that her choice would pierce her heart throughout her life.
Through our Baptism we too are asked to make a choice (whether as a child whose parent(s) answered on our behalf or as an adult when we voiced it), about loving God unconditionally in our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbor as Jesus loves us. Our mission is to proclaim that the spiritual has become physical and that God is one of us and one with us.
Being faithful to God’s call will most likely lead us to places of discomfort, hardship and fear. In his book Ave Maria, Pope Francis writes, “If a young man of today, a young woman of today, hears a special call from the Lord and is not afraid, that means something is missing. However, when along with enthusiasm for that call there is also the experience of fear, then we can move forward, because God calls us to great things.”
Though there is much fear with the pandemic as it relates to being physically affected, loss of jobs, inability to pay bills, civil unrest, political upheaval and disruption in school learning, we need to face into it and rise above it. Let us take this week to look deep into our heart and soul to find where God is calling us to help save the world, or at least in our community with those in need to overcome whatever fear they are suffering.
Reading 1: Second Samuel 7:1-5, 8-11, 16
Reading 2: Romans 16:25-27
Gospel: Luke 1:26-38
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