Like Mary, We All Have A Calling to Incarnate Jesus

Homily for April 9, 2018.

“For with God nothing will be impossible.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” Luke 1:37-38.  

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation of Mary; we recall how the Angel Gabriel visited Mary with the message from God that she was going to be the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God by the power of the Holy Spirit.

To Mary, this sounded impossible given her own inadequacy; she was not married. But as the Angel Gabriel explained to Mary, her conception was not going to be a matter of physics. All she needed to do was to say “yes” to God: “Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me.” And the Holy Spirit overshadowed her turning the word of God into flesh in her womb.

Dear friends, just as Mary was called to bring Jesus to the world, all of us Christians today have the same calling; to give flesh to Jesus – to make Jesus real among men. We are called upon to so relate with our brothers and sisters that people can actually mistake us for Jesus. We are called to make Jesus popular in a world that lives in darkness. 

Left to ourselves, we cannot do this. Just as Mary had no husband, we do not have what it takes physically to incarnate Jesus in our world today. We are weak creatures, easily prone to sin and often controlled by worldly desires. Again as in the case of Mary, the task of bringing Jesus to the world does not depend on our physical strength or abilities.

All we have to do is to say “yes” to God and allow the Holy Spirit do His work in and through us. The same Holy Spirit that worked in Mary is available to us today. Saying “Yes” to God means that we make ourselves available for God, that is; we have to create time for God, like instruments in the workshop of a workman, we must never hide from his presence.

Hence the Psalmist today sings: “See I have come Lord to do your will.” The same phrase is again re-echoed in our second reading: “Behold, I have come to do your will.” God uses those who allow him, he does not force his way in our lives but allows us to freely come to him. Every temptation we face is a chance to exercise our free will; whether to do God’s will or to do the devil’s wish.

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, shine through me, in my thoughts, words and deeds, may my life continually proclaim you to the world. Amen.

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Solemnity of the Annunciation. Bible Study: Isaiah 7:10-8:10, Hebrews 10:4-10 and Luke 1:26-38).