Saint Colomban by Ermes Dovico

GOSPEL PEARLS

Humility and Trust in God

"How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" (Lk 1: 34)

Gospel Pearls 20_12_2019

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. (Lk 1: 26-38)

God chose two people to receive the message of the Angel Gabriel: an old man, Zechariah, and a young woman who was still a teenager, Mary. Unlike Zechariah, Mary did not have a doubt of faith, but asked only to make sure that she had understood correctly. Mary’s question does not come from a lack of faith but rather from a superabundance of humility and trust in God. Let us call upon the Lord unceasingly so that we may become a bit more like Mary in humility and trust.