“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”
Tuesday, 20th December 2016,
Fourth Week of Advent
Is 7: 10-14;
Ps 24: 1-6;
Lk 1: 26-38
GOD MAKES ALL THINGS POSSIBLE
Today we are given the witness of perfect faith of our Blessed Mother. What was her response? “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” We traditionally speak of this as her great “fiat” (yes) to God! One thing we see within these words is that our Blessed Mother is offering her complete consent to something that she does not understand. The archangel gives a brief explanation to her but, if we honestly analyze this situation, what the angel says is beyond belief for most people. The archangel’s explanation was not what convinced our Blessed Mother. She didn’t listen to these words, analyze them and consider how likely they were or were not. She listened, pondered, and then immediately consented to the words spoken. Our Blessed Mother’s faith was one that knew the truth without having to fully understand it.
Are you and I able to consent to the will of God and the truths of God without fully understanding them? Do we trust God more than we trust our own human reason? Are we willing to move forward in life by faith rather than by our limited human reason alone? Let us strive to imitate the pure faith-knowledge of our Blessed Mother. She knew the truth because it was spoken in her heart. And as she listened, she consented and embraced the holy will of God.
“Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel”. And Immanuel, “God with us,” did not merely live on our planet two thousand years ago; He has remained with us ever since. In baptism ‘Immanuel’ is born again in us through water and the Holy Spirit. We will never fathom the depth of Divine Love moving the eternal God to dwell even in our insignificant little hearts. Our response should be like Mary. We must open ourselves more deeply to the indwelling Christ, allowing Jesus to heal and transform all our disordered relationships, all our disordered activities.
Prayer: Lord, I desire to trust You with my whole mind, heart, soul and strength. Help me to always hear You speak and to respond with complete faith and generosity. Lord, may I imitate the perfect faith of Your Mother by praying always with her, ‘let it be done to me according to Your word.’ Mother Mary, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen
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