Advent 4
There is a serious question that needs to ask in the Gospel today. For today we have the annunciation of Mary. It is a story of the start of the Infancy narrative that we hear so much about next weekend as we celebrate Christmas. But, also today is a story of Vocation. It is a story of discovery for Mary about what God had chosen her to do. So let us take a closer look at what this story says to us today. The first thing that we notice is that angel says “Rejoice.” For Mary had been chosen. But, Mary was afraid even though the Angel said that you would not be doing this alone for the “Lord is with you.”
To follow the Lord is hard it takes both courage and also we too can be afraid. We also don’t believe all the time that the Lord is with us. I remember for years in my own vocation that I thought that I could do it alone. I too was unable to see the hand of God in my life. I realise now that I was afraid. I thought that I could not possibly follow the Lord be a priest because of my own sinfulness. I was afraid to say Yes to let go and let God into my life. When we begin to accept that the “Lord is with you” because we are loved by him then we can respond to what the Lord wants us to do in our life.
After the angel has said to Mary “Do not be afraid” we see another interesting word that the angel says and it is just one word that we must do in order to respond to our own vocation and it’s just one word “Listen!” In today’s modern and noisy society we have forgotten how to listen to the voice of God to that calling. I believe that one of the reasons why there seem to be a lack of vocations especially to the Priesthood and religious life is that we have lost the art of listening to God. We have become the sound bite generation. Notice that even when we listen to the news we have the music in the background so that it draws our attention. And so we need to focus on really listening to the voice of God not only in silent prayer but by reading the signs of what people say around us or by our own feelings about what the Lord is calling us to do.
Another reason why we sometime shy away from our vocation is that we do not believe that we are worthy of the call. We like Mary ask “How can this come about?” This is where we need to trust in him for nothing is impossible to God.
The discernment process is hard and often challenging because it is a matter of trust and allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us and realising that we need to let go of some of the control in our lives and let God. Mary had to let go and let God. She knew that the path ahead was going to hard with many hardships but she allowed God to do his work. Let us also pray that we can follow the example of Mary and trust in God and know that the Lord is with us.
Comments
"Marriage however remains the usual human vocation, which is embraced by the great majority of the people of God. It is in the family where living stones are formed for that spiritual house spoken of by the Apostle Peter (cf. 1 Pet 2:5)." - Pope John Paul II
We must also remember the great number of single persons who. . .are especially close to Jesus' heart and therefore deserve the special affection and active solicitude of the Church, especially of pastors. Many remain without a human family, often due to conditions of poverty. Some live their situation in the spirit of the Beatitudes, serving God and neighbour in exemplary fashion. The door of homes, the 'domestic churches,' and of the great family which is the Church must be open to all of them." - Catechism of the Catholic Church.
We're all called to make a difference in the world and the Church in our own individual way .