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A happiness that is sought for ourselves alone can never be found: for a happiness that is diminished by being shared is not big enough to make us happy.
- Thomas Merton, No Man is an Island
(How are you sharing yourself with others these days?)
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IS 7:10-14; PS 24:1-2, 3-4AB, 5-6
LK 1:26-38
In the sixth month,
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.
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture
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"Rejoice, O highly favored daughter! The Lord is with you." —Luke 1:28
Rejoice unto the Lord for the time is fulfilled, the time long awaited by King David when his throne would be established forever (2 Sm 7:16); the time awaited by St. Paul when God's mystery, kept hidden for hundreds of years, would be revealed (Rm 16:25); the time awaited by God's people and fulfilled in Mary when she conceived by the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:35). What joyous expectations have been fulfilled in the
birth of Jesus!
So often we seek joy, peace and comfort in unusual places — corrupt society, decadent living, material security, envious activity, or jealous possessiveness. Mary found joy in allowing God's Word to be done unto her (Lk 1:38). David found joy in listening to the prophet Nathan and doing God's will (2 Sm 7:17ff). Paul found joy in the wisdom of God (Rm 16:27). Can we do less than they? Joy is found in service and
obedience — not primarily to humankind, but above all to God and His Son Jesus Christ. If we serve Jesus, we must necessarily serve our fellows. If we merely serve our fellows, we may not be serving Jesus.
As Christmas quickly approaches, we must have the joy of the shepherds in our hearts (Lk 2:10) for we know the time is now fulfilled — the time for Jesus to give us true joy and true peace, the time to preach His name to all people, the time to be an evangelist for His sake.
Prayer: "This is the time of fulfillment. The reign of God is at hand! Reform your lives and believe in the gospel!" (Mk 1:15)
Promise: "The virgin shall be with Child, and bear a Son, and shall name Him Immanuel." —Is 7:14
Praise: "O Key of David, O royal power of Israel controlling at Your will the gate of heaven: come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead Your captive people into freedom."
Presentation Ministries
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Abandonment to Divine Providence
- by Jean-Pierre de Caussade
BOOK II,
CHAPTER I. ON THE NATURE AND EXCELLENCE OF THE STATE OF ABANDONMENT
SECTION VIII. God reigns in a pure heart.
All the treasures of grace are the fruit of purity of heart and perfect abandonment.
O divine incommunicable secrets that no mortal tongue can describe! Since every good thing that it is possible to possess is given to those who love, let us love then, in order to be enriched with them; for love produces sanctity with all that accompanies it. It flows on every side, on the right hand and on the left, into those hearts open to receive this divine outpouring. O divine harvest for eternity! it is
not possible to praise you sufficiently. And why speak so much about you? How much better to possess you in silence than to praise you with mere words. But what am I saying? You must be praised but only because you take possession of us, for, from the moment you enter into possession of a heart, then reading, writing, speaking or silence are matters of complete indifference. One can take or leave anything, live in solitude, or as an apostle; one is well or ill, dull or eloquent, in fact anything
that you will. That which you dictate, your faithful echo, the heart, repeats to all the faculties. In that compound of matter and spirit, the heart, which you regard as your kingdom, you reign supreme, and as it has no other instincts than those which you inspire, all the things that you present are equally agreeable. Those things that nature, or the devil wish to substitute, cause nothing but disgust and horror. If you allow it to be occasionally overcome, it is only to make it wiser and more
humble; but from the moment it realizes its mistake it returns to you with renewed love, and clings to you with greater tenacity.
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