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Vocation Meditation -
Fourth Sunday of Advent, 2011
The angel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
He went in and said to her, “Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.”
She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, “Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus.”
At first glance, it would appear as if the special calling that Mary received was entirely unique.
And it was.
No other person on earth was or could have been chosen for her assignment.
Yet, if we look closely, we can see that the Lord approaches us in the same manner, with our own unique mission. What is special about Mary in the Gospel is special about us, too.
- He makes the effort to find us, as the angel was sent to the virgin, where she was living, so too does the Lord approach us.
- He finds us as we are, within our current professions and with our current skills and talents, just as He found the Blessed Virgin Mary, already betrothed and working out her salvation in the home of the foster father of the Lord.
- His greeting, although it may be jarring and disturbing, is one in which each can rejoice! For we have found favour with our God.
- If we are willing to “Listen!” as instructed, we will be presented with a mission that is vitally important for the world, bringing to each place and time the humanity and divinity of our Lord.
In the end, the only true response is that of the virgin: I will do your will.
Vocation Challenge:
He went in and said to her, “Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.”
Are we happy that the Lord has chosen us and comes to us and wishes for us to respond in a generous way?
Dearest Lord,
Where would I be had you not visited me in the tiny town of my own preoccupations? Come to me now and demand from me what you will. Let me answer as the Blessed virgin, quickly and clearly.
Amen.
For the full Gospel reading for this Sunday, visit the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops site.