“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.” (Lk 1: 38)
Our Lady’s answer to God’s invitation is “I am the handmaid of the Lord.” God always comes to us with invitations to come closer to Him, to receive a better life. Even if the invitation is difficult to understand or will change our lives dramatically, it is always better for us. Our Lady will help us to exceed our little plans to accept God’s proposal for a life full of God’s will.
“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“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.” (Lk 1: 36-37)
God started His mission of humankind’s redemption with the most beautiful miracles within the family: first Elisabeth and her “impossible” pregnancy and later Mary, Our Lady. The family is the first place of redemption and the first place to receive the real presence of God. He chose the family for His Son, who spent 30 years with Mary and Joseph to prepare Himself for His mission.
“O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: come to save us without delay!” (Gospel Acclamation)
“The woman bore a son and named him Samson. The boy grew up and the LORD blessed him; the Spirit of the LORD stirred him.” (Jgs 13: 24)
All fatherhood comes from God. Every child is a sign of God’s presence among us. Parents are God’s co-workers and receive a special blessing to take care of God’s life in their child. With every Advent we go back to the unique vocation received by mankind to maintain a strong relationship with God. We are invited to be protectors and facilitators of this relationship which comes to our children through our relationship with Him.
“O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: come to save us without delay!” (Gospel Acclamation)
“This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.” (Mt 1: 18)
Jesus Christ, “the son of David, the son of Abraham,” living God from living God, begotten, not made … has a book of genealogy. He chose to be like us: to have ancestors, a history and a family. And He left detailed evidence of “how the birth of Him came about,” just like you and I. And if you are an expecting mother—jus as your child will have. It’s all because His presence among us IS REAL: He chose to be with us as a man to love us in the way that we understand.
“O Leader of the House of Israel, giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: come to rescue us with your mighty power!” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Christ, fourteen generations.” (Mt 1: 17)
Every generation is loved and every generation is important to God. In every generation there are sinners and saints. Our Lord entered our human history not as a judge or demander but as a Redeemer and Protector who loves unconditionally.
“O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love; come to teach us the path of knowledge!” (Gospel Acclamation)
“But I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and lowly, who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD: the remnant of Israel.” (Zep 3: 12-13)
Our God not only revealed His name but also made His name a shelter for us. We can take “refuge in His name;” we can call on Him in every situation; His name is so powerful. When we feel abandoned or rejected or when we are alone or in need, we can call His name, and He always will come with His loving presence and help.
“Come, o Lord, do not delay; forgive the sins of your people.” (Gospel Acclamations)
“If we say ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we fear the crowd, for they all regard John as a prophet.” (Mt 21: 25-26)
If we compare the simplicity of God which says “yes—yes, no—no” (Mt 5: 37) with the “wisdom” of “the chief priests and the elders of the people,” we can see the deep difference between us. He loves unconditionally and respects our limitations and difficulties, we love with expectations and demands. But we always have the chance to ask Him for a new heart and a new ability to love like He does.
“Come, o Lord, visit us in peace, that we may rejoice before you with a blameless heart.” (Communion Antiphon)
“He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the LORD and a day of vindication by our God.” (Is 61: 1-2)
One day for Our Lord is like 1000 years for us, and when He proclaims “a year of favor” it means much, much more then 365 days; it means that He never stops “bringing tidings to the poor,” “healing the brokenhearted” or “proclaiming liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners.” His love never stops, never gets tired and never ends.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.” (Entrance Antiphon)
ps.Personal note. I was ordained exactly 29 years ago on this Sunday, which is called “Gaudete-Rejoice.” And I strongly believe that the readings from that Sunday are somehow “responsible” for leading me in that direction: “to announce a year of favor from the Lord,” especially for married couples: to remind them how much they are loved, how much they have received from each other and how much joy is in their vocation. Please pray for me today to be always faithful to this mission.
“May the God of peace make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it”. (1 Thes 5: 23-24)
“You who are ready at the appointed time, it is written, to calm the wrath of God before it breaks out in fury, to turn the heart of the father to the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.” (Sir. 48:10)
We are God’s children first. In the second place, we belong to our parents. Our parents have received from God the honor and privilege to participate–together with Him–in the extraordinary mission of transmitting human life. He knows how important is the father and son relationship. Whatever we first learn about ourselves comes from the father (and mother); whatever we learn about God comes from the father, too. So He takes care of this relationship, as he “turns back the hearts of fathers towards their sons”.
“Behold, I am coming soon and my recompense is with me, says the Lord, to bestow a reward according to the deeds of each.” Communion Antiphon
“See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD. Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day, and they shall be his people, and he will dwell among you,” (Zeh 2: 14-15)
God is close to each of us, never hidden or separated, always “coming to dwell among” us, “his people.” In these days, we are celebrating especially His presence among us in Our Lady, Mother expecting, Mother of Advent, Hers and ours.
And today we are celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of Mexico and the Continental Americas. Today Her message comes to us again: She is our Mother, she listens and responds to all our needs; no one is alone, no one is rejected; we are loved beyond understanding, we are the place of His dwelling.
“A great sign appeared in the sky, a women clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” (Entrance Antiphon)
