Dear Friend of Carmel Mission,
Today in the Gospel we hear the Magnificat, Mary’s powerful prayer of joy and praise to God. “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46) Mary’s courage in saying yes to God is nothing less than incredible, but what strikes me most is her preternatural calm in a moment that would cause anyone else to at least balk, if not panic. An angel of God has appeared to her, not a daily occurrence. The angel announces that she, an unwed teenager, is going to bear the Son of God. Imagine what must have been going through her mind. What does it even mean that God is going to come into the world in human form, as her child no less? We have been wrestling with that last question for over 2000 years and it still boggles the mind!
Mary’s immediate response is trust and acceptance of God’s plan. In the Gospel today, she has had a chance to digest a bit more of what the angel has imparted. She traveled to Elizabeth and received a welcome she could hardly have expected. Elizabeth not only believes her, she knows she is in the presence of God. Mary is then free to express her inner joy. Her spirit is rejoicing in God, certain of God’s promise of mercy.
God wants this same freedom for all of us. God wants our joy to overwhelm all our doubt and our fear. God wants us to trust as Mary does, certain that all things are possible through God. Her conviction is not a mere feeling, it is based on an intimate relationship with God. In the Magnificat she makes the case for why each of us should rejoice in our God, turning away our fears with the surety of God’s promise and God’s fidelity to us. This week I invite you to join me in meditating on her powerful words, and letting our spirits rejoice in God our Savior.
I wish you and your loved ones continued blessings of good health, renewed hope and a joyful spirit,
Fr. Paul
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