Luke 1:26-38
Good morning, RTB’ers!
Today’s reading is very familiar to us – the angel Gabriel and Mary, the mother of Jesus. We read it every Christmas and we celebrate it with a Christmas Pageant every year with our kids. Mary’s response is so well-known for us: “…may it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38b) And we ask the Lord that we can have that same response, “…whatever you ask, Lord”. The biggest difference between us and Mary is that Gabriel told Mary what God was asking of her. We, however, are constantly asking God what He wants from us, what He is asking us to do. We believe that we will do whatever He asks, but we wonder what that will be! What is God saying to me? What is God asking of me? Our never-ending question of Him…!
My further reflection on today’s reading is another familiar line: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also the holy Child will be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35) We acknowledge Joseph as Jesus’ step-father, since God through the Holy Spirit provided the seed for Mary’s conception. Thus Jesus did not inherit that “original sin” with which the rest of us are born. “He…Who knew no sin…” (II Cor. 5:21; see also Hebrews 4:15, 7:26) Jesus remained sinless and thus could become that perfect sacrifice for us on the cross: “He made Him who knew no sin to become sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (II Cor. 5:21, again) The Incarnation… As Ben put it last week, “The greatest miracle of all time!”
Blessings!