The following reflection is courtesy of Don Schwager (c) 2014, whose website is located at dailyscripture.net Meditation: How does God reveal his favor to us? In the psalms we pray, Lord, show me a sign of your favor (Psalm 86:17). In the Old Testament God performed many signs and miracles to demonstrate his love and mercy for his people, such as their deliverance from slavery in Egypt and the miraculous crossing of the Red sea on dry land (Psalm 78:43-53). When Ahaz, king of Judah and heir to the throne of David (735 B.C.) was surrounded by forces that threatened to destroy him and his people, God offered him a sign to reassure him that God would not abandon the promise he made to David and his descendants. King Ahaz, however, had lost hope in God and refused to ask for a sign of favor. God, nonetheless, gave a sign to assure his people that he would indeed give them a Savior who would rule with peace and righteousness (Isaiah 7:11ff). Gods unfolding plan of redemption We see the fulfillment of Isaiahs prophecy and the unfolding of Gods plan of redemption in the events leading up to the Incarnation, the birth of the Messiah King. The new era of salvation begins with the miraculous conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary. This child to be born is conceived by the gracious action of the Holy Spirit upon Mary, who finds favor with God (Luke 1:28). As Eve was the mother of all humanity doomed to sin, now Mary becomes the mother of the new Adam who will father a new humanity by his grace (Romans 5:12-21). This child to be conceived in her womb is the fulfillment of all Gods promises. He will be great and Son of the Most High and King and his name shall be called Jesus (Luke 1:31-32), which means the Lord saves. He will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). The angel repeats to Mary, the daughter of the house of David, the promise made to King David: The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end (2 Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 1:32-33). How does Mary respond to the word of God delivered by the angel Gabriel? She knows she is hearing something beyond human capability. It will surely take a miracle which surpasses all that God has done previously. Her question, how shall this be, since I have no husband is not prompted by doubt or skepticism, but by wonderment! She is a true hearer of the Word and she immediately responds with faith and trust. Marys prompt response of yes to the divine message is a model of faith for all believers. Mary believed Gods promises even when they seemed impossible. She was full of grace because she trusted that what God said was true and would be fulfilled. She was willing and eager to do Gods will, even if it seemed difficult or costly. Mary is the mother of God because God becomes incarnate when he takes on flesh in her womb. When we pray the ancient creed (Nicene Creed) we state our confession of faith in this great mystery: For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit, he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. Trust and yield to Gods grace God gives us grace and he expects us to respond with the same willingness, obedience, and heartfelt trust as Mary did. When God commands he also gives the help, strength, and means to respond. We can either yield to his grace or resist and go our own way. Do you believe in Gods promises and do you yield to his grace? Heavenly Father, you offer us abundant grace, mercy, and forgiveness through your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Help me to live a grace-filled life as Mary did by believing in your promises and by giving you my unqualified yes to your will and plan for my life. The following reflection is courtesy of Presentation Ministries (c) 2014. Their website is located at presentationministries GET IT? The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; hence, the holy Offspring to be born will be called Son of God. Luke 1:35 The Church encourages us to pray the Angelus on waking, at noon, and in the evening. Three times a day we pray and think about Jesus Incarnation. When we pray the rosary, we refer to the Incarnation fifty-three times each time we pray the Hail Mary. We pray more about the Incarnation when we pray the first joyful mystery of the rosary. The Holy Spirit has led the Church to be preoccupied with Jesus Incarnation. On this feast day commemorating the Archangel Gabriels announcement of the Incarnation, lets pray that the thousands and hundreds of thousands of Hail Marys we have prayed would hit home. May we realize and be stunned by the fact that God became a human being. Like the wise men, may we prostrate ourselves before the God-Man, the God-Baby (Mt 2:11). Like Joseph, may we be willing to change all our plans because of the Incarnation (Mt 1:20ff). Like Mary, may we offer our bodies and lives as living sacrifices to the Lord (Rm 12:1) and say: Let it be done to me as You say (Lk 1:38). When we finally get it, catch on, and wake up to the fact that God loves us so much that He became one of us, we begin to tremble in fear of the Lord. This fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (see Ps 111:10) and new life in Christ. Get it? Prayer: Jesus, in the middle of praying the Creed at Mass today, may I bow down before you in adoration. May I never be the same after loving You today. Mary, pray for me now. Promise: Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky! Is 7:11 Praise: Praise Jesus, the Word made flesh (Jn 1:14), God made man! Rescript: In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant my permission to publish One Bread, One Body covering the period from February 1, 2014 through March 31, 2014. Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, August 8, 2013. The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or statements
Posted on: Tue, 25 Mar 2014 12:34:05 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015