Daily Reflections - December 20,2012

the School of Faith

 

Nazareth is the very place where the Creator became a creature, where the almighty God became a helpless child, where the God to whom everything belongs became dependent on human beings, to experience what all human beings experience: hunger and thirst, frustration, rejection and pain, betrayal and finally death.

God chose for this great act of salvation not a well-educated girl from the royal court or from a priestly or aristocratic family in Jerusalem. No, He chose a humble girl, barely 14 years old, a resident of the obscure Nazareth. God after all does not look at our social status. He does not check whether we have a luxury car. He does not investigate our bank books. All these may be important in modern society but they are irrelevant to God. He looks into the heart of a person. What does God see when He looks into my heart? Does He find the simplicity and humility of Mary, her strong faith and trust in God’s plans?

When we speak about Mary’s humility, let us not forget what real humility is. Real humility demands courage. And Mary had this courage — she asked questions.

Faith, therefore, is not saying a blind “yes” to everything. Faith is a searching for God’s will and a total entrusting of oneself to Him because we are convinced that our understanding is limited — that God knows better and that He loves us.

Mary still did not fully understand the answer of the angel. But then she answered, “I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.” That’s humility at its best. That’s faith at its best.

Isn’t it that our prayer is not always “Thy will be done” but “Thy will be changed”? We should never forget that it is not our task to change God’s plans and message, but that God’s message comes to change us. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you ready to say “yes” to God’s plans for you even though you don’t understand them?

 

Lord, through Mary’s faith and trust You became one of us. Make me learn from Your beloved Mother to trust You at all times, especially when I do not understand Your will and plans.