Join Msgr. Don Fischer as he reads and delivers a short reflection on today’s gospel, followed by 3 1/2 minutes of contemplative music and a closing prayer. Msgr. Don hopes that today’s reflection on the gospel will empower you to carry the Word in your heart throughout the day.

Choose either the video or audio below.

Gospel
Luke 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.

Reflection

This story is a foreshadowing of what is coming. Mary, steeped in Scripture, knew some day there would be this miracle of God coming into the world, a messiah. And maybe that's why she seemed open to this miracle. But also she's a sign to all of us that we are all going to experience something like she experienced. The promise of God is that He will dwell within us, take root in our heart, and create in us a new person, a new being who is open to the impossible, who is filled with the same healing power that Jesus had, that we’d live a life that is beyond what we could ever imagine.

That's the mystery of faith. To surrender to the impossible.

Closing Prayer

Father, your promise is beyond our understanding and even beyond our imaginations. That you would do this work of using us as your hands, your eyes, your feet, taking us into situations and being a life force for good, for love, for peace. Bless us with an acceptance of our task. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.