Homily for Monday 25th March 2019
_“And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.” *(Luke 1:38)*_
Today is March 25. It is exactly 9 months before Christmas. On this day, Mary gave her consent, her fiat, her “I do” to God’s Divine Proposal. On this day, that great miracle happened; through the powerful overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, the baby Jesus, the word of God, became flesh right inside Mary’s womb.
Today’s feast is a reminder that God does not force his way in our lives. He works in us only with our consent. As one Saint said, God created us without our consent but He will not save us without our consent. We always have a choice either to say “Yes” or “No” to God’s plans for our lives.
It takes a great deal of will power to inconvenience ourselves, to drop our plans, to forgo our personal desires and say “Yes” just like Mary did. Our “Yes” is our offering; our sacrifice to God but the result we get is always greater than we can imagine. Look what happens when Mary said “Yes”.
Great things happen when we allow God have His way in our lives. The book of Hebrews says: “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, burnt offerings and sin offerings you take no pleasure but Behold, I have come to do your will.” Nothing makes God more pleased as seeing His children doing His will.
“You shall conceive in your womb and bear a Son and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High.” How happy God must have been when Mary said “Let it be done!” Mary’s acceptance became the beginning of the fulfilment of God’s promises to the people of Israel which the prophets all spoke about.
As Isaiah prophesied, when a virgin conceives, then you shall know that your Redeemer has come. Mary is that Virgin Isaiah spoke of as a sign to the people of Israel that God has finally sent them the Saviour they have been expecting.
Dear Friends, as we celebrate the Annunciation of the Lord today, we are called to reflect once again on our respect for life especially that of the unborn. Children are not merely products of chance or natural biology but living beings carefully and wonderfully made by God possessing all the rights and privileges any human being should have. Long before any of us received life in the womb, God already knew us and made plans for us.
Above all, let us always learn from Mary to say ‘Yes’ to God so that his plans for our lives will be manifested. Each time we commit a sin, we are saying ‘No’ to God and further pulling ourselves away from the life God planned out for us. Powerful things always happen when we say yes to God by obeying His Word and letting His Will be done in our lives.
Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, use me like Mary to bring your word to life. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. Bible Study: Isaiah 7:10-14,8:10, Psalm 40, Hebrews 10:4-10 and Luke 1:26-38).
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