Behold the handmaid of the Lord
December 19, 2016
by Mico Pacheco
by Mico Pacheco
Poster by Mac Norhen Bornales and Dominic Dimapawi
People in the Philippines are said to have the longest celebration of Christmas. Filipinos are fond of playing Christmas songs as early as the first day of September as the “ber months” commence, beginning a countdown for Christmas. This prolonged celebration does not end on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the liturgical conclusion of the season, but rather on the Feast of the Santo Niño, the Third Sunday of January. What is it with the Filipinos and Christmas? Apart from the carols, the rush in Malls, the elaborate Christmas displays, the long weekends and the family reunions, I believe it is more of our love for the Christ Child. We look forward to Christmas as one of the biggest events of the year, we celebrate it as one of the pompous feasts there is, and we end it, still, by honoring the celebrant, Christ the Lord. Setting aside the distractions of modern secularism to the religious aspect of Christmas, we can still confidently claim that the Filipino Christmas is still for Christ and only for Christ.
Today, on the fifth day of the Misa de Gallo, we celebrate what we call the “Misa Aurea” or the “Golden Mass”, a notable date among the nine days of Simbang Gabi. Today’s Gospel reading is one of the most important narratives in Sacred Scripture and one of the notable events in Salvation History apart from the Birth of Jesus and his Paschal Mystery. Today we will hear of the Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary – when Mary was told of her role in man’s salvation – to bring forth Christ into the world. It is in the moment of the Annunciation which Mary, out of her love for God and faithful obedience to his will, said “yes” to become the Mother of the Savior, and at that very moment, through the Holy Spirit, our Lord Jesus Christ was conceived in her womb.
We heard in the Gospel last Sunday how perilous the pregnancy of the Blessed Virgin Mary could be. It was a shame for Jewish society for a woman to conceive out of wedlock – and Mary at that time was betrothed to a man named Joseph, who himself was troubled of this pregnancy for this might mean the persecution of Mary and the child in her womb. It was a difficult stage in the life of the Mary. What could she have felt in the moment of the Annunciation? Was she able to imagine the great difficulty that she was to endure – to convince people that she was truly pure and did not have relations out of wedlock, that she has abided with the law and did not commit a disgrace towards God and her spouse, Joseph? Was she able to imagine how she would have been persecuted by people for this, of how she will endure the mockery of others, and the physical threats to her life and to that of the child she was bearing? All these things are possibilities and potential difficulties which will come with saying “yes” to become the Mother of God. But Mary said – “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done unto me according to your word” – a resounding “yes” which would echo our salvation.
From looking at Christ, our God, our King and Savior, let us put our gaze on her who bore him in her womb, not seeing him as a burden, but a magnificent grace – a blessing to her, a lowly servant of God. Mary was brave. But furthermore from mere bravery was a complete trust in God – obedience to him because of love of him. Mary did not think of the burden, but about what God willed not only for her but of all of humanity. Mary’s “yes” was a decision which did not only determine her future, but the future of all of us who depend on the rescue from our fall from God’s grace. This rescue was Christ, and Mary bore him into the world out of love of God and concern for us all. She was the instrument of Christ’s becoming Man – she was the instrument of the coming of our salvation.
Today, in the Misa Aurea, let us remind ourselves of that Golden Moment of the faith, that after years of waiting for the promised Messiah, finally, the woman who has been destined to bring him into this world said yes – and finally, salvation has dawned upon us with help of her. May we learn to be like Mary. May we learn to trust like Mary. May we learn to obey like Mary. May we learn to love like Mary. May we center ourselves on loving Jesus and allow ourselves to become his instruments in this world full of hatred, violence, sin, and forgetfulness of him. In the distractions and fleeting pleasures that this world offers, may we learn to say “yes” to God, not minding the mockery of this decision, but rather to think only of how we can bring God into the world like Mary did – how in the worldliness of this world, Christ may be seen through us.
Let us say “yes” without reservation, a “yes” that is sincere and true and reserved only to God. May Mary’s “Fiat” be our “Fiat” too and may through her, may we be brought closer to Christ, the baby she bore and took care of, the Child the presented to the Magi, the one she saw hanging upon the Cross. May the love of Mary be our love to, for Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
Today, on the fifth day of the Misa de Gallo, we celebrate what we call the “Misa Aurea” or the “Golden Mass”, a notable date among the nine days of Simbang Gabi. Today’s Gospel reading is one of the most important narratives in Sacred Scripture and one of the notable events in Salvation History apart from the Birth of Jesus and his Paschal Mystery. Today we will hear of the Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary – when Mary was told of her role in man’s salvation – to bring forth Christ into the world. It is in the moment of the Annunciation which Mary, out of her love for God and faithful obedience to his will, said “yes” to become the Mother of the Savior, and at that very moment, through the Holy Spirit, our Lord Jesus Christ was conceived in her womb.
We heard in the Gospel last Sunday how perilous the pregnancy of the Blessed Virgin Mary could be. It was a shame for Jewish society for a woman to conceive out of wedlock – and Mary at that time was betrothed to a man named Joseph, who himself was troubled of this pregnancy for this might mean the persecution of Mary and the child in her womb. It was a difficult stage in the life of the Mary. What could she have felt in the moment of the Annunciation? Was she able to imagine the great difficulty that she was to endure – to convince people that she was truly pure and did not have relations out of wedlock, that she has abided with the law and did not commit a disgrace towards God and her spouse, Joseph? Was she able to imagine how she would have been persecuted by people for this, of how she will endure the mockery of others, and the physical threats to her life and to that of the child she was bearing? All these things are possibilities and potential difficulties which will come with saying “yes” to become the Mother of God. But Mary said – “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done unto me according to your word” – a resounding “yes” which would echo our salvation.
From looking at Christ, our God, our King and Savior, let us put our gaze on her who bore him in her womb, not seeing him as a burden, but a magnificent grace – a blessing to her, a lowly servant of God. Mary was brave. But furthermore from mere bravery was a complete trust in God – obedience to him because of love of him. Mary did not think of the burden, but about what God willed not only for her but of all of humanity. Mary’s “yes” was a decision which did not only determine her future, but the future of all of us who depend on the rescue from our fall from God’s grace. This rescue was Christ, and Mary bore him into the world out of love of God and concern for us all. She was the instrument of Christ’s becoming Man – she was the instrument of the coming of our salvation.
Today, in the Misa Aurea, let us remind ourselves of that Golden Moment of the faith, that after years of waiting for the promised Messiah, finally, the woman who has been destined to bring him into this world said yes – and finally, salvation has dawned upon us with help of her. May we learn to be like Mary. May we learn to trust like Mary. May we learn to obey like Mary. May we learn to love like Mary. May we center ourselves on loving Jesus and allow ourselves to become his instruments in this world full of hatred, violence, sin, and forgetfulness of him. In the distractions and fleeting pleasures that this world offers, may we learn to say “yes” to God, not minding the mockery of this decision, but rather to think only of how we can bring God into the world like Mary did – how in the worldliness of this world, Christ may be seen through us.
Let us say “yes” without reservation, a “yes” that is sincere and true and reserved only to God. May Mary’s “Fiat” be our “Fiat” too and may through her, may we be brought closer to Christ, the baby she bore and took care of, the Child the presented to the Magi, the one she saw hanging upon the Cross. May the love of Mary be our love to, for Jesus, our Lord. Amen.