This evening’s gospel is a wonderful exchange between the angel Gabriel and the youthful
Mary engaged to Joseph. In pondering this very familiar passage of St. Luke, I was struck
by the angel Gabriel’s words: “you are full of grace, the Lord is with you!” Imagine, for a
moment, hearing these words: you are full of grace, the Lord is with you . . . what kind of a
greeting is this? Perhaps, it can be seen as a lovely compliment; yet we are told Mary is
left perplexed. She is greatly troubled by the greeting as you and I could possibly be. If I
heard this, my suspicious mind might wonder, what do you want from me or what new
responsibility are you offering me??
Mary learns almost immediately what is going to happen to her and it is shocking news!!
She is going to give birth to a child, not just any child, a holy child who is to be the Son of
God, the Messiah. History tells us that all of Israel were awaiting the Messiah. Yet this teen
of 13, 14 or 15 wouldn’t have dreamed that she would be the chosen one to become the
mother of the Savior. What must Mary have thought at receiving this announcement!
I imagine Mary had no idea of what was being asked of her or where it might lead her, yet
somehow she trusted, she had faith and hope that God would provide. Her well-known
response with the words “may it be done unto me according to your word” provides you and
me a perfect example of what God desires from us. While the words “not my will but yours
be done” is not an easy prayer to pray it is a pattern of life St. Benedict would want us to
embrace. We are daily recipients of God’s grace, privileged to be in relationship with a God
who is by our side, walking with us on our monastic journey. And I hope that reality makes
praying those words a bit easier.
Each of us have had our own “annunciation” moments. . . an unexpected phone call that
entailed a great opportunity to network, a chance encounter from someone needing a
listening ear, even day-to-day challenges. These moments perhaps initially seemed
daunting or overwhelming. Yet, our YES, our risk to surrender and trust God’s invitation
may bring myriad of graces our way. That was the case for me in one such annunciation
moment: I received that unexpected phone call in July of 2002 from Sisters Patricia
Gamgort and Margaret Malone who were in Rome, Italy asking me if I would coordinate the
Rome Renewal Program. Those next eight summers enriched my life as I met beautiful
Benedictine women from around the world and shared the roots of the monastic way of life
with them, deepening my own monastic vocation.
Two thousand years ago Mary’s YES to the invitation to be the mother of God changed the
world. Because of Mary, God is with us in a totally new way in the world, in the person of
the human and divine Jesus. Mary opened her heart to the presence of God in that
annunciation moment. How am I, how are we opening our hearts during this Advent season
to the presence of God, the human and divine Jesus, that surrounds us?