Overshadow You

December 20, 2008

Saturday of the Third Week of Advent

Then he said: Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:13-14

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

Piety

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” Luke 1:46-55

Study

Stirred, not shaken (Part two). Yesterday, the angel appeared to us through the readings and we heard how he stirred up Samson, Zechariah and Joseph. Today, we see that action move in Mary’s life.

Like Zechariah, Mary also questions the angel. “How can this be? I have had no relations with a man.” But once again, while Gabriel stirs things up, he does not intend to leave people quaking in fear. Stirred, not shaken. Grounded firmly in faith, not quivering in fear. “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” Mary does not skip a beat with her reply. The difference is in Mary’s faith. She may seek clarification but she accepts the action. “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

We heard this reading on December 8 and now we hear it again within two weeks. Hint: We will hear it again tomorrow during Sunday Mass. Clearly, the lessons contained in this Gospel are important. Isaiah foretells that this is not just any run-of-the-mill miracle, this is an actual sign from God. So the “Church” repeats this sacred scripture three times in December. Plus, in the Holy Rosary, the first Joyful Mystery is this story, the Annunciation. How can it not affect our prayer life, our Bible study and our Apostolic action? May we imitate what it contains and obtain what it promises when we mediate on this mystery today.

Sometimes I find it ironic that the rooster has become the popular symbol of Cursillo. The rooster symbolizes pride, arrogance and flamboyance. The rooster is like the NFL wide receiver who fumbles the ball while pre-maturely celebrating before he reaches the end zone. That rooster is the antithesis of what this Gospel is encouraging us to imitate. The rooster is overshadowed by Peter denying Christ three times. Perhaps a more fitting “mascot” is the donkey that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The donkey symbolizes the tradition of humility ushered in when Mary encountered Gabriel.

Gabriel comes to Mary and meets a woman, the mother of our movement, in all her natural, God-given humility. When Jesus teaches us to pray, he tells us to go into our private room and invite the Lord to dwell there with us – the opposite of shouting at the top of your lungs from the mountaintop. When Jesus departs this life, he wills to us the care of his most humble servant, his own Mother becomes ours.

Mary humbly accepted her role as the first person to deliver Jesus into the world. She is a willing servant of God, the handmaid of the Lord. Let us accept this role and wrap ourselves in service this Christmas season. Let us proclaim the greatness of the Lord and rejoice in God our savior.

Action

Make some room at your inn for Jesus this week. Let the Lord overshadow you this holiday season. Set aside your pride and your one-ups-man-ship and your desire for “getting.” Go into your private room and invite Jesus in there so he has a place to dwell. After all, his holy parents are about to find out that there is no room at the inn. Focus on your giving and your fore-giving.