FAITH OF MARY - 12/24/23 (Fourth Sunday of Advent)

Gospel

Lk 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.

Reflection:

This Fourth Sunday of Advent, we will reflect once again on how Mary accepted her calling to be the Mother of God. It was not easy, and she was greatly troubled at the beginning. Despite this, her trust in God still prevailed because it was His plan even if she did not fully understand it yet. Now that the Christmas season is coming, perhaps it is likely that not everyone is happy, especially if they are experiencing some major problems.

Our gospel today reminds us to continuously trust in God and hold on to prayer even if we no longer understand what is happening in our lives. If we pray, we should accompany it with faith that God will not abandon us despite our painful experiences. The more difficult the challenges are, the more that we should pray and choose God over vices and gossip that could harm us. 

May God give us courage, purity of heart, and strong faith like Mary; a belief that cannot be shaken by anything or anyone. It is the type of faith that grows deeper amidst the Cross. This is what our faith should be. Through this, our happiness will be lasting because it doesn't depend on whether good things or bad things happen in life. Our joy will be completely dependent on God who will never leave our side. Even if we turn away, we will always find Him again. May we always return to Him in the Mass and the sacrament of confession so that our hearts will be cleansed of sins. Amen. +

May we reflect on this. Amen. +

May the Loving and Almighty God bless us all, and may He protect us from temptation and evil now and forever. Amen. +

Reflections by FMMJ

Translations to English by CJTH

Full readings:

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122423.cfm

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls

Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth