Day 17 Advent (12/20/23): Fall in Love with God (Luke 1:38)

It is interesting to me that in this Advent season Luke 1:26-38 appears 4 times in 22 days. Today is the 3rd time, with the 4th time being on Christmas eve, which would be the 4th Sunday of Advent.

• The 1st time on 12/8/23 addressed the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Despite doctrinal differences, may Protestants and Catholics love each other in Christ.
• The 2nd time on 12/12/23 was the first time I read about our Lady of Guadalupe. God can surely choose to reveal Himself through visions and apparitions, though this has not been my own experience.
• Today, the 3rd time, focuses on Mary's submission and obedience. God's favor to her was to conceive the Son of God as a virgin (Lk 1:28-31) while betrothed to Joseph. This would cause endless shame, disgrace, misunderstanding, fear, worry, anxiety, uncertainty, and possible stoning as an adulterous woman. Yet she welcomed it as "the Lord's servant" (Lk 1:38) with overflowing joy and gratitude (Lk 1:46ff).

Bishop Barron asks, "Why is surrender such a critical part of falling in love with God?" 

Lord, though I love many things in the world, help me to always love you utmost in my heart with joy and gratitude. Thank you for helping me to surrender my life and future into your hands alone.

Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Third Week of Advent Luke 1:26–38 Friends, in today's Gospel, the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she has been chosen to be the mother of God. In the face of this overwhelming word, Mary is confused: "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And she cannot begin to imagine the full consequences of accepting this invitation: shame, exile, violent pursuit, the final agony on Calvary. And yet, despite her fear and despite the darkness, she says, "I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." At the crucial moment, Mary of Nazareth allows herself to fall in love with God, and in that moment of ecstasy, the Son of God enters the world for its salvation. The human tragedy began with Adam and Eve's grasp; the divine comedy commences with Mary's letting-go. This is why the medieval commentators, with their delicious sense of the co-penetration of all parts of the Bible, observed that the "Ave" of the angel of the Annunciation reverses "Eva," the mother of all the living. .

Day 9 of Advent reflection, 12/12/23: Hail Mary, Full of Grace (Luke 1:28)

"And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women" (Luke 1:28, Douay–Rheims Bible).

This is the first time I'm reading about the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the 16th century in Mexico, which led to millions of conversions to Christ. Protestants such as myself have for the most part disregarded such apparitions of the Virgin Mary recorded in history. There are also reports of Jesus appearing to some people, in particular to Muslims, leading to their conversion. I used to disregard such accounts due to my cerebral "heady" disposition and to my own spiritual formation and conversion through reading and studying Scripture. Genesis 2:17 was the verse that led to my conversion in 1980. But I no longer disregard such miraculous accounts, as I did in the past, as God can surely choose to reveal Himself in whatever way He chooses--through the Bible, through books, through sermons, and even through visions and apparitions.

Day 6 of Advent, 12/8/23, Hail Mary, Full of Grace (Lk 1:26-38)

Most Protestants probably don't know (I didn't know) that Dec 8 of every year is the day devout Catholics celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

I'll start this Advent reflection with a prayer: I pray that Protestants and Catholics may love each other in Christ, rather than strongly denounce the other over differences.

"Greetings, you who are highly favored [Hail, full of grace]! The Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28). "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May your word to me be fulfilled" (Lk 1:38).

It is interesting that Catholics and Protestants stress different aspects of this very familiar Advent passage. Catholics emphasize Mary's unique calling and privilege as a holy vessel to bring forth the Holy Son of God into the world (Luke 1:28), while Protestants emphasize her godly submission, surrender and costly obedience to the will of God upon her life (Luke 1:38). Her privilege is the grace of God and her obedience is her response to God's grace.