Monday, December 9, 2002
Immaculate Conception

1st Reading: Gn 3:9-15, 20
2nd Reading: Eph 1:3-6, 11-12

Gospel: Lk 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to a young virgin who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

The angel came to her and said, "Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you." Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean.

But the angel said, "Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear a son and you shall call him Jesus. He will be great and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the kingdom of David, his ancestor; he will rule over the people of Jacob forever and his reign shall have no end."

Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be if I am a virgin?" And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the holy child to be born shall be called Son of God. Even your relative Elizabeth is expecting a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child, and she is now in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible."

Then Mary said, "I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said." And the angel left her.

Commentary

Christ's birth shows that a human being is a potentially God-like being. Mary of Nazareth was human. She experienced temptation, anger, fear and confusion, as well as moments of immense joy. We can focus too much on the difference between Mary and ourselves, placing her on a pedestal, making her into a plaster doll. Better, we can see her as our sister, an image of what everyone can become. "God has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven, in Christ." (second reading) "Before the world was made, God chose us, chose us in Christ to be holy and spotless and to live through love in God's presence." Like Mary, we were chosen before we were born. She stands before us as a sign of encouragement: "The God who did great things for me is the same God who lives in you."

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