Mary’s “Yes…” Again

“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.”

Luke 1:38

Blessed Fourth Sunday of Advent to you! Yes, it is December 24th, but it is not Christmas quite yet, at least not until the Vigil Mass of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas Eve Mass). It is still Advent, and we must keep preparing our hearts to welcome Our Lord. This Fourth Sunday of Advent, the Church reads the account of the Annunciation…again.

We have heard the account of the Annunciation several times already this Advent season, but it is not because we do not have other readings upon which we can meditate and reflect. Advent is a time when we prepare our hearts to say “yes” to Jesus once again and welcome Him into our hearts, and so it is quite fitting that we hear the Annunciation narrative a few times during Advent, where we hear Mary saying “yes” to God.

The Angel Gabriel went to Nazareth to deliver a message to Mary, a message that would change not only her life, but the life of all humanity. Mary was but a young woman going about the daily chores of a Jewish girl when the Angel greeted her “Hail, full of grace!” and assured her that the Lord was with her. God comes to meet us in the ordinariness of our daily lives — Our God is a God who chooses to draw close to us in a manner that we are familiar.

Mary is told that she would bear the Son of God in a time when an unmarried pregnant woman was subject to being stoned to death. So, why did God do that? Why did God allow Mary to be put in such a situation? Because He had a plan to show that nothing is impossible for Him, that in what seems like a hopeless, losing situation, God can bring life, and life that would save all of humanity. But this needed Mary’s — and Joseph’s — cooperation. Mary and Joseph were asked to play such important roles in salvation history, and despite the uncertain and dangerous circumstances that their cooperation would place them in, they said “yes.” Not because they were forced or if they were to say no they would be struck down, but because they had faith. They believed that God’s word is true and that if God asked this of them, He would surely walk with them, and bring all things to fruition and completion.

We too, brothers and sisters, have been called by God. This Advent, the Lord asks us “Am I welcome in your heart?” How do we respond? Despite the possibility of being judged, ridiculed, and criticized by the world if we openly say “yes” to God, are we still willing to say “yes?” Will the fear of being stoned by the world or being excluded or disliked move our hearts to question our “yes” or even cause us to shy away from our faith? If so, remember what the Angel said to Mary and to Joseph, “Do not be afraid” for the Lord is with us. If He has asked us of it and has brought us to it, He will most certainly bring us through it. So, in these remaining hours of Advent, will we say “yes” to God once again?

Click here to watch/listen to my reflection for the Fourth Sunday of Advent.

Unfailing Source of Joy

“The one who calls you is faithful,
and he will also accomplish it.”

1 Thes 5:24

Today we celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent, also known as “Gaudete” Sunday from the Latin gaudere meaning “to rejoice.” In the midst of our waiting and expecting, the Church reminds us to rejoice. Although, like Lent, Advent is a penitential season, we are called to rejoice. Why? Because of what the season is pointing us towards — Christ. We rejoice because God took on human flesh 2000 years ago; we rejoice because Jesus will come again as the Lord of all and Judge of the living and dead at His Second Coming; and we rejoice because God draws near to us at this very moment.

The waiting in Advent is not meant to be an idle, passive waiting, but rather an active and intentional waiting, a waiting with joy and hope. Oftentimes Advent comes and goes without a thought in our minds because of the busyness of preparing for the Christmas holiday. For Christians Christmas is not just a holiday, it is a great feast, a solemnity, a whole season that celebrates the birth of Christ. During Advent we are meant to prepare our homes and our spiritual homes for Someone. Just as we clean our homes and make sure things are neatly placed and festively decorated when we have a guest coming over for dinner, we must do the same with our hearts and souls because Jesus is waiting to come into our hearts if and when we invite Him. Jesus is the source of our life, our hope, and our joy. Without Him, Christmas has no meaning. If we simply place our “Christmas joy” in the shopping for Christmas presents and the decorating of the home, then yes, once Christmas Day is over, we move on to the next holiday. BUT for us who believe, the joy of Christmas should not simply just come and go — the source of joy, Jesus Christ, endures in our hearts and minds. This joy remains us with wherever we go and whatever situation in which we find ourselves. But this can only happen if we have prepared our hearts for Jesus. How?

Do we carve our time everyday to pray? We do not need to make a holy hour everyday, but can we carve out 5 minutes to check in with Jesus? If not 5 minutes, how about 1 minute? Every second spent with Our Lord does tremendous wonders for our souls and the souls of those for whom we pray. Do we share our faith with others or do we shy away from sharing how God has worked in our lives? If Jesus is truly the source of our joy, why wouldn’t we want to share it with others? That is the most important present we can give to others this Christmas.

Brothers and sisters, in this final full week of Advent may we spend some time contemplating upon the source of our joy and how well we have prepared a home for Jesus in our hearts. If we haven’t, it is not too late to start today. Today may we practice to be present to the One who came to earth 2000 years ago, the One who will come again, and the One who draws close to us right now at this present moment. Blessed Gaudete Sunday to you.

Right On Time

“Do not ignore this one fact, beloved,
that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years
and a thousand years like one day.”

2 Peter 3:8

Have you ever prayed for something so fervently that you became a bit impatient? Perhaps sometimes we feel as if God did not hear our prayers or that maybe He came through a bit too late. Or maybe even finding ourselves questioning the goodness of God or His presence. But we know that God is all good and that He hears all our prayers, so it can’t be the case that He doesn’t hear us or chooses to ignore us. Rather, God is waiting to answer our prayers at the exact time we need them. God is always right on time.

We hear the Prophet Isaiah saying to the Israelites, who were at this time in captivity, “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.” To the Israelites, these words may have seemed silly as how can they experience any comfort when they have been aliens in a foreign land. But the Prophet encourages them and reminds them of the faithfulness of God in the past, and just as He was faithful in the past, He is faithful now, and will be faithful in the future. Isaiah tells the people that God will shepherd them and bring them back to Himself once again. Some chose to believe and remained steadfast in their faith while others doubted and gave up their relationship with God. To those who gave up on God, He was too late for they needed relief then and quickly.

In his second letter, St. Peter reminds that God transcends time and does not operate on our schedule. God does not always answer our prayers the instant we cry out to Him. God is not a genie to whom we turn for wishes. God is a Father who knows the needs of His children and will grant unto them all that they need when they need it. God is always right on time, never too early and never too late.

Sometimes we do not get what we want because it may do us more harm than we could have perceived. Sometimes we do not get what we seemingly need because deep down we were not truly ready to receive it. You see, God knows our hearts, and even if He wishes to give us something, if our hearts are not yet ready to accept or receive it, it may be more of an obstacle or a burden to us if God were to grant it. So, it is never the case that God withholds His love or care that He seemingly ignores our prayers, but because God loves us and cares for us, He withholds from us the things we think we need but that will really bring us harm.

The Israelites prayed for freedom, and God granted it to them in time — not once, but many times — and those whose heart was ready, received it. Freedom from slavery in Egypt, from being captured by foreigners, and from their own sins. In the fullness of time, God granted unto mankind the most powerful remedy for sin, the One who would set us free from our slavery to sin, His Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord. Jesus came for all, but only those whose hearts choose to receive Him will receive the gift of His salvation.

Brothers and sisters, do not give up on prayer, even when it seems as if God is not listening. He always listens and He knows what we really need. Pray for the faith and perseverance to know and believe that God will grant unto us all that we need at the exact moment that we need them because God is always right on time.