Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta có thể thử tưởng tượng Đức Maria đã có cảm giác như thế nào khi Thiên sứ đến truyền tin? Vào lúc mà Đức Maria được Thiên sứ truyền tin thì Đức Maria còn rất trẻ, lúc đó Maria mới khoảng chừng 13 - 15 tuổi, và còn trong trắng. Và khi sứ thần của Thiên Chúa đến nói với Maria rằng cô sẽ mang thai Con Thiên Chúa. Nhưng thay vì đặt câu hỏi về Thiên Chúa hay từ chối những gì mà thiên sứ dã truyền, Đức Maria đã chấp nhận ngay mà không có sự đòi hỏi nào khác. Bởi vì Đức Maria luôn đạt niền Tin của Cô nơi Thiên Chúa, Cô chấp nhận tất cả đớn đau tủi nhục của xã hội để nhận làm Mẹ Thiên Chúa một cách mù quáng vâng (theo nghĩa Thế gian). Nếu chúng ta là Đức Maria hôm nay, chúng ta sẽ phải đáp lại lời của Thiên sứ như thế nào? Chúng ta có dám khiêm tốn nói rằng chúng ta cũng sẽ làm theo như ý Chúa như vậy chăng?
Reflection 20/12:
We must surrender everything that hinders our complete trust in God. Mary had complete and utter faith in what God was doing in her life. She had a very servant-like attitude; I think we should aspire to be like that. When God gives us a difficult or impossible task, will we doubt, or will we listen?
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, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.” Luke 1:26–29
The phrase “full of grace” is a translation of the Greek word kecharitomene. It can be translated more literally as “having been graced” or “you who have been fully graced.” The tense of the word indicates that Mary has been graced by God in a unique and ongoing way, implying that this grace was not a one-time event but something encompassing her entire being and continuing to have effect.
What was the Blessed Virgin Mary’s response to this amazing greeting? She pondered the archangel’s greeting with humility and initially responded with silence and in awe. Gabriel, aware of Mary’s humility in her silence, says, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God…” Gabriel then goes on to tell her she will conceive the Son of God within her womb.
Given her immaculate nature and the fullness of grace within her soul, Mary immediately obeyed the archangel’s command and did not give into fear. Yet her “greatly troubled” heart led her to ongoing pondering and contemplation of all that was said to her.
As we draw closer to the Solemnity of Christmas, we are invited to share in the Blessed Mother’s contemplation of the mystery of the Incarnation. We can be certain that as Gabriel departed from her, her prayerful pondering did not cease. The ongoing fullness of grace within her soul led her to the deepest contemplation of this divine mystery that was humanly possible. Her mind would have penetrated the words spoken to her and perceived the mystery of the Incarnation taking place within her womb in ways that even she could not explain. With the fullness of grace came the fullness of infused knowledge, which is beyond human articulation.
In our lives, we often fail to humbly ponder the profound reality of the Incarnation. We must have a “troubled heart” in the sense of remaining in awe of what God has done for us by taking on our human nature. We must allow Mary’s pondering to become our own so that we enter more deeply into the great mystery we celebrate.
As we prepare for the celebration of Christmas, reflect upon Mary’s pondering mind and heart. Though we will never engage in her depth of contemplative prayer, she is our model. We must accept every divine mystery revealed to us with faith and then grapple with each mystery on a deeper level that can only be accomplished by contemplative prayer. Those who attain this depth of prayer are drawn exceptionally close to God Who uses them to continue the effect of the Incarnation by spiritually giving birth to Christ in their lives.
Immaculate Mother of God, you were called “full of grace” by the Archangel Gabriel. You humbly listened to all that was spoken to you and accepted it with faith, surrender, and humility. Please pray for me, that I will imitate your pondering Immaculate Heart so that I will be better prepared for the great Solemnity of Christmas Day. Mother Mary, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.
1. Joseph and the Royal House of David: In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph. Luke doesn’t just say that Joseph was a descendant of David, but that he is of the “House of David” (Luke 1:27; 2:4). This means that even though Joseph was laboring as a humble carpenter in the small town of Nazareth, he belonged to the royal house of David. Just as Matthew revealed the genealogy of the royal house of David that continued after the return of the Judeans to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile, Luke also indicated that the line of David continued and was preserved in Joseph. In 2 Samuel 7:4-17, God promised to David that he would build him a house in the form of a dynasty. Joseph, the Gospels of Matthew and Luke reveal, is the “hidden king” and true heir to the throne of David.
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you sent your angel Gabriel in the fullness of time to announce the day of your salvation. I welcome your saving grace. My mouth is filled with your praises, and I sing to your glory! Be my rock of refuge and rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
1. Zechariah Offers the Tamid (the Daily Sacrifice) and Encounters Gabriel: The past two days, we read the first chapter of Matthew’s Gospel. Today, and the days leading up to Christmas, we will read the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel. The Gospel opens with the priest Zechariah being chosen to burn incense in the sanctuary of the Temple. He was a member of one of the twenty-four divisions of priests. Twice a year, each of the twenty-four divisions served in the Temple. One of their tasks was to offer the daily sacrifice, called the tamid, in the morning and in the evening. There were so many priests at the time that this responsibility was chosen by lot. At the time, a priest would only offer this sacrifice once in their lifetime. When Zechariah entered the sanctuary, he encountered the angel Gabriel, who announced that Zechariah, despite his old age, would father a son.
Today we are invited once again to recall and meditate on the moment when our Christmas joy began to enter our human history: the Annunciation to Mary. The Incarnation has its true origin in eternity in the eternal love of God, who created us and desires that we will be what he created us to be in his divine image and likeness.
Did the Son of God only become man because of Adam's sin? That question is sometimes pondered and, from the accounts in Genesis it seems an acceptable answer that that is so. But then it seems as if God’s loving action of giving his son was dependent on human sin, which some theologians will see as somewhat unacceptable. There is, then, another thought: that Jesus would indeed have become man in order to be our way to the Father, for even without sin we are still very limited as creatures and need God’s very concrete guidance.
On this earth we will never know the answer, but that does not reduce our capacity for rejoicing in the birth of Jesus, which Mary of Nazareth made possible for us by her generosity and courage.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, we thank you and praise you for your generous and courageous love in asking God to let it be done to You according to his word.
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