February 4, 2020 Reflection – Choosing and being chosen
(c) Mary TV 2019/ Anthony Zubac February 4, 2020 Dear Family of Mary! “Dear children, by the act of the decision and love of God, I am chosen to be the Mother of God and your mother. But also, by my will and my immeasurable love for the Heavenly Father and my complete trust in Him, my body was the chalice of the God-man…” (February 2, 2020) Our Lady makes it very clear that God chose her, and she chose God! It was a beautiful meeting of hearts in which total trust and love existed. The Father trusted and loved Mary so much that He would ask her to be the Mother of His Son. And Mary loved and trusted the Father so much, that she could accept the Father’s call, even though it was beyond understanding. Let’s listen to how St. Luke recorded this encounter : In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How shall this be, since I have no husband?” And the angel said to her, “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, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 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.” And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:26-38) Well, this encounter is so mysterious and wonderful, that we will contemplate it for all eternity. But for us, it is the beginning of our salvation, a moment upon which all eternity turned. Jesus became Man to save us. And Mary, well, Mary became His mother and by extension, our Mother. What a mystery of love. What a bold act of love on the Father’s part and on Mary’s part. Real, solid, life-changing love. In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!Cathy Nolan ©Mary TV 2020