"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you"
The Annunciation of the Lord to Mary written in Matthews Gospel, is something quite unique in how that visit from the angel Gabriel played out.
I want to now reflect on that piece of scripture and show the relevance to this Lenten period and quite openly talk about a subject that makes people blush, scared and apprenhensive – VOCATION!
Vocation is an individual calling from God whispered to you at Baptism. The call is both unique and has its own charism.
In the Annuciation we hear how Mary is visited by an angel and asked to be the Mother of Jesus, she agrees after a bit of a pep talk and goes to tell her cousin Elizabeth all about what happened.
Simple – I think not!
Our own vocation will be quite different but non the less it is still a vocation! We won´t (im almost sure of) have an angel visit us but God will speak to us, inviting us to be in a relationship with Him in a special way. God speaks directly to us and calls us by our name.
Mary´s response to the invitation from God to be The Mother of Jesus was not YES!
Mary gave so much more than a yes. A yes is a response to something you want, "do you want an ice cream?" or how you feel: "are you ok?". However Mary said "I am the handmaid of the Lord be it done unto me according to Your Word".
Wow - complete and utter abandoment to God´s will and providence. Submission, not to neglect her own free will, but to bask in God´s munificence. Mary went on to say:
"God looks on me in my nothingness". Exclaiming her complete unworthiness, and yet God chose her, just as he chooses you!
In 2008 i was involved in delivering an RCIA programme along side the parish priest. The two ladies who were going through the RCIA programme were struggling with prayer. I brought it to prayer and was completely moved with Mary´s response, so much so that i made a suggestion that has changed my life since. I asked the two ladies to set an alarm on their phones at 3pm and when the alarm went off to simply say a Hail Mary. I said I would join them in that prayer. I mentioned it to various friends and family members who took on the initiative which has now spread to over 100 people, a Carmelite order, a School as well as priests and laity home and abroad.
So i invite you to join in that prayer each day at 3pm, praying for any intention remembering that it was Our Lady who stood by the cross whilst Her Son died, and it was Her Son, Jesus, who speaks to us saying: "Here is your Mother".
So join me in this prayer today and a Hail Mary each day at 3pm.
Mary Our beloved mother,
May you lead us by the hand to you Son Jesus
May our united prayers never fail to
Convert, cure, comfort and help
Our brothers and sisters
Who benefit from Gods love and mercy.
Gavin Landers
19 + 6 (nearly 7)
Seminarian for the Diocese of Salford,
Currently studying in Valladolid (Spain)
No comments:
Post a Comment