THE WORD
Zec 2,14-17 (or Rev 11,29;12,1-6.10) / Lk 1,26-38 (or Lk 1,39-47)
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord
God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
IN OTHER WORDS
Trust Fall is a leadership training exercise that requires a member to fall down from an elevated platform, blindfolded, not knowing that other members of the group await to catch him/her. This activity enhances the team’s reliance on each member. A participant noted how it made him trust himself, his group mates and God.
Trusting oneself is important in cultivating self-esteem. If you do not trust yourself, who else will trust you? The Gospel narrative shows Mary’s trust in herself. Saying, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” she is so sure of herself that even in the presence of an angel she can confidently stand by her personal belief. In our life, trusting ourselves could mean knowing our inner self – our weaknesses and strengths.
Trusting others can mean opening up one’s weaknesses and strengths to others. Communicating with others creates understanding and respect. Mary responds to the angel Gabriel, “May it be done to me according to your word.” What a nice statement of self-surrender! Here, Mary fully understands, trusts, and respects Gabriel’s message. Trusting God is the ultimate form of trust. Mary says, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.” Despite her limitations, she completely surrenders everything to God’s plan of salvation. Her trust should be mirrored in our life. We must understand that God has better plans for us; we just need to trust Him.
As we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of our country, let our prayer be, “Mother Mary, help us to trust God’s plan for us!”
- Fr. Bernard Abrazado, SVD | Calapan City, Mindoro
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
