Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

Today is the feast day for the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.  She is the Patron Saint of the United States.

 

“Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 1:26-38

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. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

 

Today we hear the story of the annunciation again, the second time in only a couple of weeks. We are called to focus on the event and the significance of the event.  This is the story of Mary’s “yes”.  So what did she actually say yes to?  The Angel Gabriele tells Mary the she “will” conceive God, not do you want to conceive God.  Mary’s yes was to cooperate fully with the will of God.  When we are called to imitate Mary, we are called to imitate her yes that she gave to God.  This is a yes to fully  cooperate in the will of God not matter what it is?  Her yes was an unconditional yes.  A yes which caused much heart ache while at the same time great joy.  Life is not easy, but when we say yes to God, we can experience great joy.  the One must also reflect on the significance of this event.  In her yes, Mary’s womb was filled with that which is bigger than the Universe.  She contained within her, God himself.  The blood of God flowed through her immaculate heart of Mary.  Her body was uniquely connected to that of the Almighty in a way that was so perfect the she is forever set apart from the rest of humanity as the pure vessel who gave birth to God.  Her Immaculate Heart is filled with the life of God.  Now she has become the body which nourishes God.  It is she who was the life support system for Jesus while he became full human in her womb.  It is her body that nourishes his body.  It is her heart that comforts and soothes Jesus while he is in the womb.  Mary is the Arc of Covenant made of the most precious material of the purest nature.  It is now she that radiates the energy from which salvation will flow into this world.  Today is a day we should sit back and truly ponder Mary, the window which allows us to see the face of God.  It is her that makes the transcendent visible to us.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord God in Heaven, you call me by name to be your disciple.

Help me find strength to say yes to your will.

 

Your Servant in Christ

Michael Marcon