Sunday, December 21, 2008

Contemplation on the Gospel -4th Sunday of Advent

The Gospel for today is the story of the Annunciation which is the meditation for the first Joyful mystery. I love that particular mystery because every Monday and Saturday, I am reminded of Christmas.

The gospel story also reminded me of a couple of parables that our Lord taught us that were recorded in Matthew chapter 13:


44 ... the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.


The announcement from God Almighty, delivered by an Archangel of Heaven to a poor Jewish girl living in an obscure little village in Galilee, was nothing less than the news that God was going to save us all!

And what was the response from the young girl whom the angel called "full of grace"? The young girl, who was prepared from the moment of her conception for this very time. She, who came to be the Mother of the Living, the new Eve. She , who by her obedience undid the disobedience of Eve, said quietly "may it be done unto me according to your word".

This girl, who undoubtedly had plans of her own for her life, "sold all that she had" to accept her vocation, knowing it could bring shame to her family and even stoning. She "bought the field" to bring the Savior to the world.

She did this for the kingdom of heaven, for the pearl of great price, for the treasure hidden in a field. The result was that the King of the Universe was born, hidden among us, and became one of us in order to save us.

Let nothing hinder us from following Mary's example. Let us learn to say simply "may it be done unto me according to your word".

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