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Message of the Day
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Lord, when we are wrong, make us willing to change; and when we are right, make us easy to live with.
- Peter Marshall (1902-1949) (Two marks of humility. Which one is more difficult for you?)
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Readings of the Day
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Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10; Psalm 40:7-11;
Hebrews 10:4-10 Luke 1:26-38 The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the
angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most
High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left
her. USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture
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“The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; hence, the holy Offspring to be born will be called Son of God.” —Luke 1:35
The Word became flesh! (Jn 1:14) God became incarnate in the womb of Mary! God became incarnate in the Church, the Body of Christ! God became incarnate in the Eucharist, the Body and the Blood of Christ! (see 1 Cor 11:24-25) The Lord wants the Incarnation to extend from the womb of Mary to the ends of the earth. After Mary received the incarnate Word, she took Him to her cousin Elizabeth and her baby, St. John. Then
Jesus became flesh for Elizabeth and her baby (Lk 1:39ff). Later, Jesus became flesh for Elizabeth’s husband, Zechariah, as he was freed from being mute (Lk 1:64). Is Jesus incarnate in your family, relatives, business, neighborhood, school, hospital, political party, sports team, social media platform, TV network, etc.? Has Jesus become flesh in every aspect of your life? Are you a walking tabernacle taking the incarnate Jesus to every
person, place, and activity in your life? Jesus entered this world to be the Center of every aspect of human existence. Jesus wants to be the flesh and blood, the heart and soul of all life. Like Mary, do a visitation to apply the Incarnation until God is all in all (see 1 Cor 15:28). Prayer: Jesus, be the Lord of all. Promise: “I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be done
to me as you say.” —Lk 1:38 Praise: “Great will be His dignity and He will be called Son of the Most High” (Lk 1:32). Presentation Ministries
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Spiritual Reading
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The Practice of the Presence of God: The Best Rule of Holy Life, by Brother Lawrence (1611 - 1691). Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
https://ccel.org/ccel/lawrence/practice/practice Second Letter
Difference between himself and others. * Faith alone consistently and persistently. * Deprecates this state being considered a delusion. In short, I am assured
beyond all doubt, that my soul has been with GOD above these thirty years. I pass over many things, that I may not be tedious to you, yet I think it proper to inform you after what manner I consider myself before GOD, whom I behold as my King. I consider myself as the most wretched of men, full of sores and corruption, and who has committed all sorts of crimes against his King; touched with a sensible regret I confess to Him all my
wickedness, I ask His forgiveness, I abandon myself in His hands, that He may do what He pleases with me. This King, full of mercy and goodness, very far from chastising me, embraces me with love, makes me eat at His table, serves me with His own hands, gives me the key of His treasures; He converses and delights Himself with me incess- antly, in a thousand and a thousand ways, and treats me in all respects as His favourite. It is thus I consider myself from time to time in His holy
presence. My most usual method is this simple attention, and such a general passionate regard to GOD; to whom I find myself often attached with greater sweetness and delight than that of an infant at the mother’s breast: so that if I dare use the expression, I should choose to call this state the bosom of GOD, for the inexpressible sweetness which I taste and experience there. If sometimes my thoughts wander from it by necessity or
infirmity, I am presently recalled by inward motions, so charming and delicious that I am ashamed to mention them. I desire your reverence to reflect rather upon my great wretchedness, of which you are fully informed, than upon the great favours which GOD does me, all unworthy and ungrateful as I am.
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