In the Gospel account today of Mary’s Annunciation, Mary spoke that creative word of God: “FIAT.” Let it done to me according to your word. Here we have Mary echoing the creating word of God in the creation account from the Book of Genesis. When Mary said Fiat to the will of God in her life, she was not speaking of her ability, but rather her openness, her availability to the plan of God for her life.
From the moment Mary spoke these words: “I’m the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word.” Her life was changed. She had given herself over to God’s designs for her life.
This prayer of Mary in the Annunciation has been known as the world’s greatest prayer. It is the prayer that brought God down from heaven to dwell in the soul and body of a lowly young woman. It is the prayer that brought about the greatest event in human history, God becoming human in Jesus. It is a prayer that changed forever the course of human history some 2000 years ago.
The prayer of Mary is so very different from what has been called the world’s most common prayer, the prayer in which we try to get God to do our will. The world’s most common prayer says: “My will be done,” whereas the world’s greatest prayer says, “Thy will be done.”
What does the Annunciation say to us as we prepare for Christmas? The Gospel reminds us of God’s desire to dwell in the midst of humanity. As Christmas draws near, Mary reminds us that the best Christmas, in fact the only true Christmas, is that Christ be born not in the little town of Bethlehem but in the inner sanctuary of our hearts.
The best possible Christmas gift to us and to all is God’s continual promise that I will be with you. God’s presence in our life is the meaning of the mystery of Christmas. God is with us.
Do you remember what Jesus told us on the 1st Sunday of Advent: “Stay awake.”
Do you remember the words of John the Baptist on the 2nd Sunday of Advent: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.”
On the third Sunday of Advent, Jesus said: “Happy is the person who does not lose faith in me.”
What we know and deeply believe is that God is with us. The important questions that remains is: “Where are we with God?” Are we awake? Have we repented with the Sacrament of Reconciliation? Have we kept the faith?
And on this Fourth Sunday of Advent, we ask ourselves: How much do you and I listen to the voice of God’s promise, which is written in our hearts? How has this pandemic crisis affected our faith life? Perhaps we will be less selfish insofar as we have been touched by the pain of those who have suffered from Covid-19?
As restrictions lie ahead in our planning for Mass on Christmas and our simpler, scaled-down family celebration of Christmas, I invite you to remember the challenges and struggles of Mary and Joseph on the first Christmas – the arduous journey of the pregnant Mary journeying from Nazareth to Bethlehem; then finding there was no room in the inn; and then giving birth to her firstborn son in the Bethlehem stable in the midst of much simplicity and poverty.
We ask what sustained Mary and Joseph in dealing with these challenges, which were at least as challenging as what we face in 2020 – the year of Covid-19? Mary and Joseph were sustained by their faith and hope in God’s plan and promise for them.
May the simplicity of our Christmas celebrations this year purify our Christmas spirit – less consumerism and more trust in God’s promise that his love for us is unending. Maybe, just maybe, we can open ourselves to the blessings of celebrating Christmas in ways that are similar to the way Mary and Joseph celebrated the first Christmas. Yes, you and I will miss being together with our extended family. Yes, this is sad. But instead of feeling sorry for ourselves, may we be led to trust even more deeply that God is with us; that God indeed accompanies us and leads us to let go of what we want and open ourselves to the ways that God speaks in Christmas 2020.
May Mary be the model of faith for us, the faith community of St. Joseph’s. In saying yes to the plan of God for her life, Mary gave birth to the Savior. God came into our world as Mary responded: I am the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word.” Looking to the example and the intercession of Mary, the faith community of St Joseph’s is missioned to bring the love of Jesus into our community – the love of Jesus that shares, that forgives, that accompanies all who are in need.
May we be a faith community that generously shares our resources with those in need through Penfield Hope, through our commitment to St Mary’s School in Mazinde Ju, Tanzania, through our generous support of the diocesan CMA, and through the tithing commitments of our parish. As God has blessed us financially, may this be an opportunity not just to raise our standard of living, may it be an opportunity to raise our standard of giving. What if everyone in our parish made a commitment to support the Catholic Ministry Appeal?
May we be a community that forgives – there are no outsiders in our faith community; all are welcome.
May we be a community that accompanies all those in need. We seek to be a people that look for ways to wash the feet of God’s poor.
Advent is our time to ponder the promise that God is among us, that the Word of God is asking our consent to become flesh in our lives. Mary invites us to share in the mystery she carried and bore in her human life. The angel Gabriel invitesus to say yes and to entrust ourselves to God’s plan for our life.