Sing
and rejoice, O daughter Zion! See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the
LORD. (Zechariah
2:14)
Your deed of hope
will never be forgotten by those who tell of the might of God. (Judith 13:19)
Mary
said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to
your word.” (Luke 1:38)
Piety
Lord, instill in me the faith and strength to say yes to
Your plan for me.
Study
In
today’s readings, we come face to face with two strong women, women strong in
their faith, though they are called to show it in vastly different ways.
The
responsorial reading comes from the Book of Judith. Her name means “Jewish
woman,” and she is a formidable female. To deliver Israel from its foes, she
first enchants, then decapitates an enemy general. The Catechism of the Catholic Church points her as one of the Old Testament
women who paved the way for Mary, showing that “against all human expectation
God chooses those who were considered powerless and weak to show his
faithfulness to his promises.”
Many
of us can imagine situations in which we, like Judith, might consider violence
or duplicity for the greater good of the world, those we love, or ourselves. This
makes the example of Mary all the more daunting. We don’t see her as a
temptress. We don’t see her as a physically strong woman. Instead, we see a
fiber of faith that is almost beyond our understanding. A young woman is
approached by an angel and asked to do something for the Lord that is beyond her understanding. She says yes, and the
world is changed forever by this deed of hope. When we emulate her example and
say yes, we are changed forever by
our own deed of hope.
Action
Pray
with Mary today; thank her for her example. Or reach out to someone you know
whose quiet faith inspires you; thank him or her for the example.
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