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Gospel Reading for December 20, 2024 – Luke 1: 26-38
HUMBLE DEMEANOR
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.
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The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary with a greeting that was foreign to her, hence she was greatly troubled. Who wouldn’t be when it happened ALL OF A SUDDEN! After being assured by the angel that it was a message from God, and after knowing how it was going to happen, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”
A handmaid is personal maid or a female servant, whose main function is to serve or assist. Mary had such a HUMBLE DEMEANOR, fit to be chosen to be the mother of the Son of God. It will not be so difficult to follow Jesus, to do God’s will, if we too have such a HUMBLE DEMEANOR. If we always see ourselves as servants of God, it will not be difficult to set aside our pride when we are challenged; it will not be difficult to give of ourselves to others, or be servants to the needy; it will not be difficult to respect and care for all of his creation because he made us stewards of them, and so on and so forth. In short, there will be no room to say “NO” to him!
Lord, may it be done to me according to your word!
