A New Year Epiphany
Gospel: Mt 2:1-12
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/010724.cfm
Today is Epiphany Sunday. An epiphany is a sudden change in perception. It’s a point when your mind is open to understanding and seeing reality differently. It’s like the moment when someone is learning to ride a bike and suddenly they are balanced and riding down the street. It’s a point when you experience an insight that changes your reality. It’s an a-ha moment. When we are young, every day is loaded with epiphanies. As we get older, we often lose sight of the epiphanies that continue to occur around us. When we take on something outside of our comfort zone, we can quickly find ourselves in search of that epiphany experience.
There are a lot of epiphanies within today’s gospel. The Magi were considered to be from the far east of Judah. They were of a different belief system. They traveled a great distance following a star. Over their journey, they made their own personal discoveries. They were foreigners in a foreign land paying homage to a child that was shown to them as special from both divine and natural revelation. They were not scholars of Jewish scripture so the history that led to Jesus would have been outside their scope of knowledge. They were not waiting for a Messiah; yet, they are still there praising the child. It took some great epiphanies to make them do what they did. Jesus was going to reveal that God is universal. God is not limited to one group of people or a select few, but God is there for all. For those who believe or don’t believe, there is still God. For those who subscribe to one tradition or not.
We still experience epiphanies with God today. Our relationship with God is a sequence of epiphanies; it is one epiphany after another. Once we sense that we have it figured out, some new revelation comes along to stretch and grow our perspective. We are all in the process of actualizing and realizing the divine. Our personal journeys are unique. God is constantly trying to meet us where we are, and we are all at a different place. We all see reality differently from our vantage point. God meets us there, and God keeps meeting us there even as our vantage point changes. To God, it is God loving God’s creation and God’s creation loving God.
It can be quite overwhelming. We don’t have all the answers, but that is both the beauty and the struggle. God is there to help us through moments when that uncertainty brings us strife and to be there to celebrate in the moments when we recognize God’s presence. May your journey this year bring you more epiphanies and a deeper understanding of the Divine.
Merry Christmas!
Gospel: Jn 1:1-16
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122523-Day.cfm
The Catholic church has numerous reading options depending on the time of day. I decided to go with the daytime reading which is from the gospel of John.
As a child, I often took the “word” in this passage to mean scripture, but the “word” that this passage mentions is far more than that. This “word” is what was spoken that brought existence into being. The word that existed before mankind existed, before we had religion, before there was the fullness of creation. It was the catalyst of creation. This word did not segregate or separate but was unifying. After it was spoken, God saw that the creation was good. God wanted an object to love. In the birth of Jesus, it is this word that became flesh and dwelled among us. God became fully Emmanual, or with us, through this moment in history.
“The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.” God enlightens everyone, not a select few. God made special accommodations for those who were overlooked and condemned by society: those with sickness, those of a different nationality, those seen as sinners, those with disreputable professions. He elevated the lowly to lead the way back to the original order of creation; a time when we lived with God and each other in hope, peace, joy, and love. We are all called to continue this mission: to bring God’s kingdom into reality.
What a blessing! What a gift at that first Christmas! God is with us and we are with God. Merry Christmas! Blessings to you and yours in the new year!
Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love
Gospel: Lk 1:26-38
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122423.cfm
The theme of the Fourth Week of Advent is Love. The previous weeks were Hope, Peace, and Joy. Today is not just the fourth Sunday of Advent, it is also Christmas Eve. Imagine Mary nine months pregnant journeying to Bethlehem with Joseph for a census. Once they arrive, they are informed that there is no room for them; they are told that they can stay in a stable for the night. Their life after Gabriel visited them was far from predictable or glorious. They had so many mishaps, and this was just the beginning.
Mary through these moments probably reflected on her experience with Gabriel. God sent Gabriel to Mary to help her prepare for what was to come. Through their conversation, Mary found hope that God would work through the incidentals of her life to fulfill her purpose. She found peace in moments of struggle because she knew that things would eventually lead to the full revelation of the Messiah. Gabriel helped Mary understand that God was with her and would care for her. This made the experience in Bethlehem easier for her.
Her sense of hope and peace was a trust in God’s providence for her. It freed her from the worries, fears, and obligations that limit us from fully seeing God’s presence. She was fully open to experiencing God. She encountered God directly; she experienced Love. In giving her will fully to God, she was freed from fear, worry, and obligation, leaving her with a complete sense of hope, peace, joy, and love.
What fears, worries, and obligations limit you from fully experiencing the advent of God as Mary did? How can Mary’s example help you fully experience hope, peace, joy, and love?
“Nothing will be impossible for God.”
Generational hope
Gospel: Lk 1:57-66
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122323.cfm
John’s birth was quite different than that of Jesus. John was surrounded by friends and family who celebrated the birth and circumcision and shared the good news throughout the hill country of Judea. Jesus, on the other hand, was born in a manager in a town away from home that did not have room for his parents for regular accommodations. They were visited by angels and shepherds. Jesus’s circumcision and naming were kept simple as well, whereas John’s were quite the production.
Their parents were both told what names they were to be given by an angel. In the case of John, there was more drama around the name. Zachariah, his dad, was mute until the name was given at his circumcision. The friends and family wanted to name the baby Zachariah after his dad, but John’s parents followed the guidance of the angel.
So what’s in a name? Zachariah was the name of a Jewish prophet. As we know John was to prepare the way for the Lord and was going to be a prophet himself. Zachariah means “God remembers” and John means “Gift of God” or “Grace of God.” Having these two names together reassures both how God keeps and delivers promises. God both looks backward and forward. Zachariah was grounded in faith and tradition. Zachariah was foundational to what was to come next, and John was a hope for the future. There was to be a new era to come, and John would be an instrumental part of that future.
There are a lot of generational struggles today. We talk a lot about the shortcomings of different generations. Older generations look at younger generations as if mistakes have been made given their change of perspective. Younger generations look at older generations as if they are archaic and have lost sight of the times. These stories during the time of Advent show us that each generation plays its part in human history. Each generation builds upon the last. Think of how times have changed since the time these gospel stories occurred. We have had social, economic, political, and spiritual shifts for over 2000 years. There have been times in human history when we’ve taken steps backward and other times when we’ve taken leaps forward in moving humanity toward the kingdom of God.
In today’s gospel, the friends, family, and neighbors celebrated the birth of John. They were in such awe of the events surrounding his birth that they shared the news around the countryside. They had hope for the next generation. A hope that they would help make a better world for future generations. Instead of condemning the next generation, let’s look for hope in them. Let’s listen to them with an open mind. Let us share our stories from our experience knowing that they are not static but are dynamic parts of a journey. We do not need to take the names of our parents as our children do not need to take our names.
Finding love
Gospel: Lk 1:46-56
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122223.cfm
In other translations, this passage begins with Mary saying “My heart magnifies the Lord.” As we grow in our relationship with God, we gain a deeper understanding of God. It is not that God has changed, but our perception of God has been elevated. Our hearts magnify the Lord. We grow in love.
Love has an object. We can love nature, we can love other people, we can love God. As we grow in that love, we deepen our understanding of the other as if the other goes through a transformation. But it’s not the other that’s being transformed but us. Our love opens us to recognize the image of God in others and creation. It leads us to more fully understand God.
As the passage continues, Mary expresses how Jesus will transform the human power structure: the rich, powerful, and prideful will be taken down and the lowly and the hungry will be lifted up. This is how love works. With love, we see beyond these power structures to connect with the soul of the person. Love liberates us. Love empowers us to see what is truly there beyond the noise that often distracts us.
During this time of Advent, try to see beyond the noise that gets in the way. The noise can be a sense of obligation, expectation, anger, fear, conflict, or anything that truly limits us from seeing each other in the image and likeness of God. In the cacophony that can be found in the holiday, embrace moments of inner silence and find the love that is happening around you. Take that inner silence with you to help reduce the noise around you to help others find that love around them too.
Divine visitation
Gospel: Lk 1:39-45
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122123.cfm
During this holiday season, we will encounter friends, family, and strangers. It’s a time when we can connect in a special way with others. For some, this connection can be an obligation, and for others, it can be something we seek out. We have our traditions and our surprises along the way. We can remember those we’ve celebrated with in the past who are no longer with us, and we can more deeply appreciate those who remain. We can see the holiday through the eyes of a child or see how the holiday has changed as we and the one’s we love have grown and changed through the years. We can desire a return to another time or hope for how things will be in the future.
There is a lot of beauty found in the present moment and what we can see in others. In today’s gospel, Mary visits Elizabeth. Mary and Elizabeth were cousins who I presume visited each other on occasion as we do with our relatives. Instead of expressing her excitement in seeing her cousin, Elizabeth is overjoyed to encounter Mary as the mother of her Lord. Elizabeth says, “And how does it happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”
We are all created uniquely in the image and likeness of God. God willed us into being and loves us all individually. We each have our own special divine imprint; we can veer away from that imprint, but alas, it is still there. Throughout this holiday season, everyone that we encounter has their own special divine imprint as well. God is revealed in a special way through each of us. When we engage with others this season, it is good to call to mind the words of Elizabeth, “How does it happen to me, that the Lord should come to me?” There is a divine spark in all of us. Look around you and see God’s light in others and be grateful for the unique way God is revealed through that light.
Handmaid of the Lord
Gospel: Lk 1:26-38
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122023.cfm
We all share in the human condition. We struggle for control and power. We want the world to work the way we want the world to work. People should act the way we want them to act. Good things should happen to good people. Bad things should happen to bad people. People should always like and support us.
We all have our lists of how things should be. This can come from a good and noble place. It can inspire us to do great things as easily as it can lead us to bad. We want our internal reality to be reality. The problem is that it is not.
Today’s gospel is the Annunciation story according to Luke. This is the third time this gospel was used during this season of Advent. At the end of the story, Mary accepts her fate humbly. She could have imagined how her life was going to be impacted by this experience. It would be easy for her to think of her son becoming an earthly king and her becoming surrounded by riches and power. Instead of doing this, she responds with "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38)
Imagine saying these words for yourself. Is it easier to say them when you experience hardships or successes? These words are a great prayer. Let it help keep you both grounded and open to possibilities.
A pastor’s son
Gospel: Lk 1:5-25
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121923.cfm
John the Baptist was a priest’s son in more ways than one. Not only was his dad a priest, but his mom was a descendant of Aaron, the priestly brother of Moses. The passage goes on to explain how devout they were, but when the angel lets Zachariah know that his wife is going to have a child, he doesn’t believe it and asks for proof.
When we strictly follow religious practices, it is easy to get lost in what you should or shouldn’t do as if faith is a set of rules or guidelines to be followed. When we see the world this way, it makes it difficult for us to recognize when exceptions occur to our limited view of things. Zachariah and Elizabeth had accepted that they were destined to not be parents. As it seems from the gospel, they probably had years of trying and had lost hope. Elizabeth even felt disgraced by others for not being a mother and went into seclusion for part of her pregnancy.
Following the law is not giving your will over to God. When you give your will over to God, you accept that the impossible can be made possible; you become more open to infinite possibilities. It’s easy to lose sight of this at times, but life has a way of reminding us. Even Jesus struggled with this as he prayed in the garden, “Not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39)
Sometimes when we follow the rules, we anticipate specific outcomes, but that’s not how God’s love works. Grace is not earned, it is freely given. By allowing God to work in your life, you stop narrowing your options but keep your horizon open for surprise. To grow is to take yourself beyond your current limited thoughts about actions and consequences and trust that God’s reality is radically different from that.
Life’s uncertainty
Gospel: Mt 1:18-25
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121823.cfm
Most of us develop hypothetical strategic plans for what might happen to us. We play through ‘what if’ situations in our minds and think through what we’d do with different scenarios. We even assess the decisions of others to a rubric we’ve created by playing through these possibilities, when there is no way for us to know for certain what they are actually experiencing. Different personalities deal with this differently. Some of us are more prone to worry and need to work through every possibility before we act, others make decisions more rashly.
In today’s gospel, we see that Joseph has already worked through a game plan for what he has perceived to be Mary’s infidelity. It took an angel visiting him to shift his outlook on the situation.
Life gives us a multitude of unexpected situations. We think that we can anticipate how a particular situation will be, but when we face it, the experience is entirely different than what we expected. Some of us will stick to our playbook and others will take the experience as a way to grow beyond our preconceived notions.
I believe life experience and God are both pushing us to transform. All of us have the propensity to be transformed for the better, but we have to be open to it. I don’t think there was any way that Joseph could have predicted how his life was going to change through his relationship with Mary. I’m sure he had his own script of how it would be for a carpenter from Nazareth. Boy, was he wrong! Boy, are we wrong! That said, we only know what we know with the limited information we have; so give yourself grace. But know, that there is always more that you don’t know and be ready for that uncertainty to challenge you to greatness. Let your tomorrows transcend where you are today.
A reflection of God
Gospel: Jn 1:6-8, 19-28
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121723.cfm
We find God through community and relationship. We can encounter God through those that point to God. God reveals God’s self through those who reflect the light, they are not the light, but they reflect the light onto others. God works through and with us. God is imprinted on us and creation.
In today’s gospel, John the Baptist references both an outer sign and action that we can see (water and immersion) and an inner sign and action that we cannot (God and healing). It’s this relationship between the seen and unseen that makes a sacrament. A sacrament involves an outer sign that reflects and shows something deeper that cannot be seen. With baptism, the water is an outer sign that reflects the inner healing of God.
John the Baptist states that what he is doing is strictly an outer sign and what’s more important is what is happening internally. He can point to God, but he is not God. He can reflect the light, but he is not the light. That “light” is not to be taken lightly. For the gospel writer, that light is the Word that makes all creation possible. The Word is the catalyst that makes and sustains existence. God is the thread throughout creation. That light would make itself fully manifest in the life of Jesus Christ. In Jesus, the external and the internal components of the sacrament would be one. Jesus is both the creator and the created. He is both God and that which points to God.
Today is the Third Sunday of Advent. The theme of this Sunday is Joy. Spend some time meditating today on the joy found through the Creator becoming the created to spend time with us. The Creator wanted to share in our experience; to live our struggle and striving as well as our joy and celebration. Slow down and find a way to be a reflection of the Creator for others.
Looking for something
Mt 17:9a, 10-13
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121623.cfm
Have you ever looked for something that was right in front of you? I have had numerous times when I have been on the phone and started looking for my phone. It is easy for us to lose sight of what is right in front of us.
Between the ages of 10-24, I spent a lot of my time searching for a sign that would lead me to what I would do with my life. I discerned the possibility that God would call me to the priesthood, but I hoped for a married life. I did not embrace the place where I currently was, which was mostly single. The interesting part was that being single was the vocation I had during that part of my life and I was not willing to embrace that call. We can find God where we at. We do not need to wait for what is to be revealed. The future will take care of the future. Once I accepted my present vocation, I then met my future wife.
In today’s gospel, we learn that the scribes were waiting for Elijah to come again before they anticipated the arrival of the Messiah. The scribes were the ones who knew scripture the best (the printing press would come much later). The scribes were the ones who wrote out scripture by hand for others to read and use. They took a literal understanding of scripture. They were surely looking for the Messiah, but they limited their view because they were looking for something specific, something that matched their assumptions.
How often do we do the same? We anticipate how God is going to answer our prayers or expect a certain way that things will play out. But, if we free ourselves from those expectations and anticipations, we can easily find that God has a message for us in this moment. What are you missing out on right now because you are anticipating or expecting something else?
Playing games
Gospel: Mt 11:16-19
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121523.cfm
The worst games we play are the ones we don’t realize we’re playing.
We tend to judge and scrutinize those who are acting differently than us or differently than we expect. We do this with everyone: religious leaders, bosses, co-workers, parents, children, strangers, friends, siblings, celebrities, politicians, etc. We expect so much from each other. Some of these expectations can be good, whereas others put unnecessary distance between us.
We tell ourselves narratives and have people play different parts. When someone doesn’t play their part correctly, it causes us tension and stress. We sometimes change the narrative or drive people to play their particular roles. It’s as if we are all playing a game except we have different rules, yet we expect everyone to play by ours. We make people characters in our stories instead of being present for them and loving them as the unique person they are.
What are some expectations you put on people? How can you see beyond those expectations and be truly present for them?
Prophetic voices
Gospel: Mt 11:11-15
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121423.cfm
Jesus admired John the Baptist. When Jesus was growing up, I imagine that Mary told Jesus about the visitation and how John moved in Elizabeth’s womb. Jesus and John were connected before they were born. They were close in age with John being slightly older. Since Elizabeth and Mary were cousins, John and Jesus may have spent some of their childhood together. When Jesus started his ministry, John was already well-established.
This passage goes beyond expressing Jesus’s admiration for John and shows the struggle of prophets. John was a prophet which means he was preparing a way for Jesus and a way for the Kingdom. He was driving change from the now to the not-yet. He was challenging the norms of his day and the way people saw and lived their faith. He showed that:
What was found in the temple could be found in the wilderness
What was only available to the most devout was now available to all
There have been prophets throughout scripture that pushed society to change. Those who push these changes, often experience violence. John and Jesus with the messages they were sharing would eventually become part of that tradition and experience violence as well. Those in society who weren’t prepared for this change or had much to lose by the change took extreme action to stop it.
People like Jesus and John bring forth the Kingdom. The full realization of the Kingdom has not been fully realized in human history (thus, those in the Kingdom are greater than John). Until all are in the Kingdom, those who help bring the Kingdom will have the possibility of experiencing violence against them. In living for that Kingdom, though, death has no power over you. The true tragedy is in those who resort to such violence, and we all have the possibility of falling into it with whom we exclude. How can we help ourselves and the world to embrace and not fight such a message of love?
Freedom from obligation
Gospel: Mt 11:28-30
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121323.cfm
In Jesus’s time, religious leaders, such as the scribes and Pharisees, were focused on a strict interpretation of the law. They believed that the Roman occupation and other Jewish suffering were a consequence of not fully holding their end on the covenant with God. They thought that if the Jewish people followed the law better, God would show favor and return them to prosperity. For this reason, they monitored and corrected the behavior of others.
Jesus showed a different path that was not focused on scrutinizing individual actions and social behaviors for earthly salvation. In Matthew 5:45, Jesus tells us that “the sun rises on the bad on the good, and causes rain to full on the just and the unjust.” Good and bad things will happen, that’s part of existence. We are to free ourselves from a transactional understanding of God. What Jesus is calling us to do is love, not obsess over right and wrong actions. He calls us to love God, love our fellow human beings (including ourselves), and love creation. There is no need to burden yourself with the law. If you focus on love, the law will fulfill itself.
In this season, it is easy to get lost in obligations. There are a lot of considerations on what you should do or what you ought to do. We also judge others on what we think they should or should not be doing. Take a moment and ask yourself the source of these internal and external judgments. Are they truly motivated by or driven by love? Find a way to focus more on the love this season and how you want to show that to others; not on what you think you are obligated to do. Read the gospel again and imagine how you can put this into practice.
Full of grace
Gospel: Lk 1:26-38
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121223.cfm
In today’s gospel, Mary is visited by an angel named Gabriel who says, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” Mary becomes deeply troubled and ponders the meaning of this greeting. I’m assuming this was not a typical greeting from that time. Gabriel wasn’t simply saying, “Hi Mary, how are you?”
To be full of grace is to have God show favor. It doesn’t mean that God liked Mary more than everyone else, but that God saw great potential in her to do something and gave her the ability to do it. She was told of her potential, not that it would necessarily become a reality. Having the great things come was going to require her participation and action.
Gabriel’s greeting shows the importance of what role she is to serve if she is willing. There is a significant level of responsibility put upon her in that choice. It can be understood to mean, “God is giving you an amazing gift; don’t mess it up.”
God is participatory. God wants us to participate in the divine plan and allows us to choose otherwise. God could make it all happen, but God gives us the ability to choose. There is beauty in that choice. The action has more value because we can choose not to.
Mary had to keep making choices and hard choices throughout Jesus’s life that helped make his mission possible. Could God have done it without her? Yes, but God didn’t. God wanted her participation. Similarly, God calls us to participate and has given us graces to share with others. Reflect on the story of Mary and seek ways that you, too, can use your gifts in service to God and others.
Faith for a friend
Gospel: Lk 5:17-26
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121123.cfm
What is faith? When Jesus uses the word faith, I do not think he is actually saying, “Because they believed I was the son of God.” In this particular reading, Luke does not show anything of the sort. Luke tells the story of a group of people who wanted to get someone in front of Jesus so that they could walk again. The group was very creative in their approach to make that happen. They were not there for their own forgiveness or their healing but for the healing of another. Jesus chooses to forgive their sin before he heals their friend.
So what is this faith that Jesus is talking about here? The message of Jesus is agape love. Agape love is selfless, unconditional, and willing to lay down one's life for another. The group showed agape love for the paralyzed person. They had heard stories or maybe witnessed Jesus’s healing power previously and thought they should take their friend to see him. When they saw the possibility that Jesus could heal their friend, they gave of themselves for the opportunity for their friend to potentially get healed. They had to carry the man to the area where Jesus was preaching. They tried getting through the crowd, and finally, they devised a creative solution to climb on the roof and lower the man down. They went to great lengths just for the possibility that Jesus could help. They were selfless for another person.
The message of faith is one of action for others. Faith is being willing to give of yourself for the needs of others freely. Countless reasons stop us from truly being there for others; thus, it takes faith to do it. Reflect on times that you’ve witnessed this kind of faith.
Prepare the way
Gospel: Mk 1:1-8
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121023.cfm
Today’s gospel had me asking some very existential questions: What all had to take place for the arrival of Jesus? What all had to take place for the arrival of you in history?
It is impossible to think of everything that had to occur for you to be here at this given moment. There are a lot of things that could have happened differently that would have impeded your existence. Not all things throughout that history were good, and not all things were bad. Similarly, with Jesus’s journey into becoming human, there were legacies of virtues and atrocities. As these stories show us, God can work through all of it.
With everything, there are foundational elements that make the next step possible. John the Baptist was one such catalyst for Jesus's mission. John the Baptist planted the seed for what was to come. He was an enabler in the best sense of the word. He served a role for a greater purpose. He helped the people to start seeing things differently. He did not fit the traditional image of one who brings such a message. He helped them stretch into a new way of thinking. He led the way for the reception of Jesus’s message. John broke from the traditions of his day to find and share a new way; one that was foundational to what was coming next.
We are called to do the same in our time. We must transcend what has come before us to lay a foundation for what will come after us. This is a great responsibility we all share. We are called to receive what has been given to us, transform it, and share it to prepare the Kingdom of God. We will mess up along the way, but we hope that God will work through it all and help us along the way. That help may be in the form of other people.
What is something that you can do today that will help make the path straighter for someone else? How can your life be foundational to the success of others? How are others helping you?
You are to give
Gospel: Mt 9:35-10:1,5a,6-8
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120923.cfm
In today’s gospel, Jesus is carrying out his mission of healing and sharing the gospel. In a moment of reflection, he observes that more could be done if his disciples directly participated in his mission. He gives his disciples the gift to act as he has acted and provides them with direction. In the last verse, Jesus says, “Without cost, you have received; without cost, you are to give.”
What if the disciples expected payment when sharing the gospel and healing the sick? The message itself would lose its meaning if it were transactional. They could easily be seen as traveling snake oil salesmen. The intent of their message would be questioned.
What if Jesus did it all on his own and didn’t seek the help of his disciples? A lot less people would have been helped and healed. Beyond that, Jesus’s commission is for the disciples as well. God is relational and wants our participation. God is seeking to elevate us to act and live by the message. What good is a gift if it isn’t used? The gift realizes its value when it is used. We are to pay it forward.
Jesus calls us to share the graces given to us with others without strings attached. It is a pay-it-forward economy that shows itself throughout the gospel. In this season of reflection and giving, what are some gifts you have received in the past without expecting reciprocation? Pick one of those and share it with someone else without expecting anything in return.
Favor with God
Gospel: Lk 1:26-38
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120823.cfm
In today’s reading, the angel tells Mary that God has found favor in her. God has also found favor in you. If you exist, you were created for a purpose. God has found favor in you as God has willed you into being. God has a purpose for you. The challenge is to be open for that purpose to take hold. Oftentimes, we think we know better than God and fight for what we think our .
We are called to keep ourselves open for God to work through us. As Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." It takes courage to give of ourselves to God as Mary did. Beyond courage, it also takes trust and faith. Nothing is impossible with God, so why do we limit God to our possibilities?
Reflect on Mary’s openness, courage, trust, and faith. How can you apply her experience to your life?
God’s will be done
Gospel: Mt 7:21,24-27
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120723.cfm
It is easy for us to think we can handle things on our own or be proud of what we’ve accomplished, but we do nothing without the foundation or participation of others or God.
God’s will is always active, but it is easy not to see it or think we are all alone. We want our desires to become reality and take action to make that happen. We put expectations on ourselves and others. When things don’t work out as expected, we are frustrated, disappointed, and/or angry. We want our “will” to be, not their “will” or God’s “will.”
How do we do the will of God? I wish there were a simple answer to this question; some may tell you there is. A good first step is to work on our will. The best place to do that is when we experience tension. When do you find yourself getting frustrated, disappointed, or angry? What were you expecting that made you feel that way? When you have those moments, take some time to identify what is happening differently than you expected and find a means to adjust. You may need to shift your perspective. It can be a good time to let go of your will and give it to God.