We know that Our Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph and the Mystery of Incarnation, “Word becoming flesh,” are inseparable. Therefore, to the extent we find them mentioned in the Gospels, it is good to journey again with them during the Advent and Christmas seasons we will be observing.
Their disposition of openness to the Revelation, their acceptance in faith and obedience to what God wanted of them, their acceptance of the consequences of their response to the special call given, and their efforts to understand the events that were happening, surprised as they were many a time at the way events were happening.
Their journey, however, we must remember was a journey of faith and surrender in obedience. They endured the pain as they struggled with the inconveniences and uncertainties. But Our Blessed Mother contemplated to understand: “But, Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Lk 2;19; 2:51).
Moments of “Revelation” and Human Response: God speaks to us through mediators and events to reveal his will and his plans for the individual persons or for the whole community. By way of exception or special privilege as it were, God speaks directly to the individuals to reveal his message:
His will and His plan. The addressees or the listeners or the recipients are not always attuned to recognize the voice of God. shocked and surprised at the unexpected appearance of God or His angel speaking directly to them. They are overtaken by overwhelming fear and trembling, The Lord God or the Angel of the Lord assures that there is no reason to be afraid and asks them to listen and respond in faith and obedience to what is being revealed.
Mary and Joseph were no exception to this kind of experience. When Angel Gabriel addressed Blessed Virgin Mary saying that the Son of the Most High will be born of her and she would conceive by the “power of the Holy Spirit,”, she was “Greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be” (Lk1:29). After the explanation by Angel Gabriel, she surrenders to God’s plan, saying, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Lk1: 38).
Joseph to whom Mary was betrothed, reacted to the situation differently, how to understand the situation, Mary with child “of the Holy Spirit” before they came together! Like Mary, Joseph also had the visit of the Angel of the Lord speaking to him “in a dream” and gives clarification that Mary conceived by the “Holy Spirit.” He accepts Mary betrothed to him.
Our God Continues to speak – How do we recognize and respond? How does revelation of God’s will and plan come to you? Do you not struggle as to how to understand and respond when events and experiences occur in day to day life surprising you? There is purely a rational way or secular way of understanding but as believers we cannot go only that way!
Mary and Joseph responded to God’s message not because they understood everything but because they saw in faith that it was the revelation from the Lord and responded in total surrender accepting what God was asking of them! They further contemplated on what was being revealed and what was happening. As believers we are called to understand our life and the events in life in the light of faith in this God.
This faith should enable us to see what God wants us to do and in obedience do it. Here is an example for us in Our Blessed Mother and Joseph: “to do what we have to” rather than what we “want to do or like to do.” There is a difference when we go about doing things listening to God and listening to what faith prompts or what the Church is teaching or asking us to do. It can happen that we want to do what pleases us or what is convenient or suitable for us and for our satisfaction and not what God wants or what needs to be done, even something is not to our liking. It is good to see in these days of Advent and at Christmas if we tend to do things that we have to do or what we would like to do! What is motivating us to be that way, our faith or our own likes and dislikes!!
To be continued tomorrow: Understanding Faith During Advent