Today’s first
reading takes us to the book of the Prophet Zechariah. At the beginning of this
message we read : “Sing and Rejoice, O daughter of Zion! See, I am coming to
dwell among you says the Lord.” But who is this “daughter of Zion” invited to
be joyful, singing to the Lord?
The expression “Daughter
of Zion” is used her to symbolize Jerusalem, the heart of Judaism. By using
this feminine imagery, the prophet wants to reflect the tenderness of the
people and their need for God’s protection. Zechariah’ message is a divine promise of a future
time of redemption, when God will dwell in the midst of His people, providing
them with salvation and security. Israel has received this divine mission: to spread
the knowledge of the Unique God to the whole world. Hence, promise of God made
to her is extended to all creation because already humanity had been blessed through
Abraham (Genesis 22:18).
This promise of
God to dwell among His people was perfectly fulfilled through the incarnation
of Jesus in the life of Blessed Virgin Mary. In this way, Mother Mary helps us
experience the “indwelling of God among us!”. This is not merely a conceptual
understanding, but an experience that every believer in God should actively
seek. Meditating on this message during this season of Advent and on the Feast
of Our LADY OF GUADALUPE gives it a profound and timely resonance.
The Gospel
of the day (Luke 1:26-38) help us understand how this promise of God to dwell
among us began to unfold. The account of the visitation of Angel Gabriel to Mary
is so rich and deep that it would require practically volumes of books. Every detail
is important: the mention of Galilee evokes the idea of a circle of joy, of celebration,
while “Nazareth” is connected to the idea of “protection, preservation, branch,
consecration of oneself. In the context
of Child Jesus, his birth is depicted as a jubilation (as we read during Christmas about
the rejoicing of angels and shepherds) and protection of humanity. His lineage,
tracing back to the root of David, is pivotal in understanding God's salvation
plan and its connection to human reality.
God
sent angel Gabriel to a Virgin betrothed to a man named Jospeh. And the Virgin’s
name was Mary. Narrating Mary’s marital situation at the moment of the Divine
Visitation, St Luke helps us understand that Mary had her project of getting married
to Joseph. In the Jewish Culture, the engagement period was as strong as marriage.
And so, the first challenge for Mary was to set aside her project and accept
God’s own for her. Mary is greeted as “ Full of grace!” She emptied herself of
every “ego” and thus God’s grace could find a place to dwell in her. “The Lord
is with you”, adds the Angel of God. The heart of the Visitation was the “yes
of Mary” to God’s project when she said: “Behold I am the handmaid (Servant) of
God. May it be done to me according to your word!”. In this, Mary teaches us
how to grow in faith, trusting in God for nothing is impossible with Him.
For us Christians
today, the challenge lies in being attentive to God’s visitation in our lives, being
able to dialogue with God through prayer and reading of His Word. It is also
crucial to discern in ones’ life and discover the main purpose for which God
has called us to existence, the unique way by which God wants us to serve Him. Mary
teaches us humility, adaptability, inner freedom, trust in God, perseverance
and, above all, how to meditate and gain a deeper understanding of events both in our
lives and in the world.
May our Lady of Guadalupe intercede for us all as we
celebrate her today!
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Amennn.
ReplyDeleteGood bless you and happy feast of our lady of Guadalupe