Posted on 03/25/2015 10:46:15 PM PDT by Steelfish
Because Mary Said “Yes…” — A Reflection For The Solemnity of the Annunciation of Our Lord
March 25, 2011 by Fr. Thomas Rosica
Standing in the middle of the present day city of Nazareth is the mammoth Basilica of the Annunciation, built around what is believed to be the dwelling of Mary. In a grotto-like room at the heart of the basilica is a small inscription on an altar. It reads, “verbum caro hic factum est,” here the Word became flesh. There, it is believed, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, and her response changed the world forever.
Imagine yourself in Mary’s place, asked to say “yes” to a divine plan so vast, so profound and so seemingly impossible that you cannot comprehend it. “How can this be?” she asks, bewildered. She is rooted in the faith of her ancestors, and yet now an angel has appeared in the midst of everyday life, extending a startling invitation. “You have found favor with God,” the angel says, “and you will conceive and bear His Son.” Will she accept?
It is Mary above all others who can teach us what it means to live by faith, and how to respond when God’s providence disrupts the daily course of our lives, overturning its rhythms and expectations. Despite her fears and uncertainty over how this promise could be fulfilled, she still answered “Yes.” Are we able to respond to God this way?
When we reflect on the Annunciation to Mary, and her acceptance of the angel’s message, we also reflect on our own vocation — our own calling from God. In the Lord’s Prayer, we pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” — an echo of Mary’s “Be it done unto me according to your word.”
Each time we commit ourselves to embracing God’s call and accepting His will, we mark a new point on the path of our relationship with Him. For the rest of her life, Mary pondered her extraordinary encounter with God, turning the weight of the angel’s message over and over again in her heart. From the manger to the cross, Mary’s life was radically changed — her relationship with God profoundly deepened — the moment she said “Yes.”
Mary received and welcomed God’s Word in the fullest sense — becoming impregnated with it, and bearing it to the world. Angels might not appear in our doorsteps, but we do encounter God in each of our daily prayers, and he whispers to us a similar invitation: Will we accept His love and bring it joyously to those around us? Will we trust in His providence, even when we can’t see the path ahead? Amid the noise of everyday life, will we listen for and embrace his call?
When making his pilgrimage to the Basilica of the Annunciation, Pope Benedict XVI offered this prayer to the humble Virgin of Nazareth. It speaks for all of us who likewise seek to accept God’s will with joy:
Mary, Mother of the “Yes,” you listened to Jesus, and know the tone of his voice and the beating of his heart. Morning Star, speak to us of him, and tell us about your journey of following him on the path of faith."
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>> “ I will stick with mine.” <<
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How do you see that working out at the Day of Trumpets?
Will Yehova allow it to go to arbitration?
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Excellent as usual....
You won’t even openly agree with your own “church”?
“I AM” only became known as such in Exodus 3. Abraham was long dead by that point. So, do profess belief in the God of Abraham? Yes or No.
By this question, are you insinuating that God, before Exodus 3 was somehow not the same eternal God that names himself IN Exodus 3? If so, you may not actually believe in the one true living God; if so, I pity you. I believe in the God of Abraham. In Exodus 3 and before. And after. Yahweh is the same God, eternal, and unchanging.
Do YOU believe in him? Or do you believe in the same "God" as the Muslims in CCC 841? Do you 'acknowledge' and 'adore' the same "God" the Muslims do in CCC841?
Hint: Muslims profess belief in the God of Abraham. Jews profess belief in the God of Abraham. Christians profess belief in the God of Abraham.
Survey says... X
Jews believe in the same God of Abraham as do Christians. Muslims don't. their "God" is not the God of the Bible. So, once again, according to YOUR CHURCH, not mine, Catholics and Muslims 'acknowledge' and 'adore' the same God. And again, I ask, do YOU? Do YOU agree with with CCC 841?
I keep pitchin' 'em, and you keep missin' 'em. (Foghorn Leghorn)
Hoss
BTW -- thanks for the comedy you're turning this into -- you only need answer yes or no! I'll keep answering, but oddly, you refuse.
Hoss
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>> “It is a visual analogy to Mary as the New Ark of the Covenant... “ <<
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No greater, more vile blasphemy has ever been spoken!
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Wanna start a pool?
See how long before the name calling and insults begin? Or did I miss them?
Hey, if by some miracle equivalent to parting the Rad Sea, you DO get an answer, ping me, OK?
I love to see miracles.
Yes, it is cync.
Actually, you're not arguing. "Contradiction" is the office down the hall and on the left.
Sheesh.
Hoss
Do you not profess belief in the God of Abraham? Yes or No.
So since you won’t answer, I have to assume that you do profess to believe in the God of Abraham as the Muslims. I can only assume that based on your actions in not answering a direct question.
This is why Protestant anti-Catholicism is a cult or mental illness: When faced with truth and irrefutable evidence, Protestant anti-Catholics stonewall, or play word games, or any other typical technique they can throw in the thread. Funny thing is people SEE this for what it is.
Do you ACKNOWLEDGE the God of Abraham even though Muslims profess to believe in the God of Abraham? Do you, as a Protestant anti-Catholic, profess to believe in the God of Abraham even though Muslims do as well? Will you continue to do so even though Muslims will continue do so?
Do YOU?
Now... here is the payoff: Now, for everyone to see, will you answer my questions? Or, will your lack of an answer shine as the embarrassment of Protestant anti-Catholics everywhere?
Hmm?
Catholics are obligated to believe what the CCC states.
They have no choice.
So much for feee will....
“You won’t even openly agree with your own “church”?”
You won’t even openly state you profess belief in the God of Abraham because Muslims do?
The scriptures are clear??? Your religion doesn't even bother with the scriptures except a cherry pick here and there...
Jesus didn't reveal himself as God til he was a grown man...And of course no one called Mary blest until after it was accepted that Jesus was the Messiah...Up til then Mary was just another young Jewish woman raising a family...
And it seems Jesus gave up any real connection to his birth family...Jesus knew his 'real' family was on a spiritual plane as compared to the physical...Once Jesus got into 'God Mode' at the beginning of his ministry his physical family was not at front and center of his life...Jesus didn't even ensure they got front row seats at his crusades...In fact, Jesus waved his family off while standing on the stage bellowing like Billy Graham shouting, YOU are my mother, YOU are my brothers and sisters...The crowd got more media recognition than Mary or her kids...
It was later generations who would look back at Mary and call her blest...And she surely was...
'God with us' was not a reality until Jesus started preaching and gained massive momentum as the apostles started spreading the word...Mary was not in the picture except as an after thought...
“I had no mistaken notion at all.”
Sure, you just misapply the phrase on purpose then?
Oh, what the heck. Here's my five bucks. Put me down for "never."
Hoss
Muslims don't! Their "God of Abraham" is not THE God of Abraham. Their profession doesn't mean much; apparently as much as the Catholic Church's profession which has aligned itself with the Muslims to "acknowledge" and "adore" the same Creator God. But, do YOU acknowledge and adore the same God as the Muslims? Your church does, and it teaches it. Do you believe your church?
Hoss
I think the nature of this phenomenon we witness is that a strong antiCatholic bias filters anything perceived to be Catholic so that it must be combated without actually discerning whether it is true or not. It reminds me of some Jews who witnessed the miracles of Jesus but were unable or unwilling to believe and opposed him out of envy.
“Do you concur with Iscool in this comment of his about Mary not being the mother of Immanuel ?”
As I said, I’m not here to defend other people’s comments, but if you want my opinion, it’s a pretty far stretch if you are trying to use the OT prophecy about Immanuel to justify calling Mary the “Mother of God”.
So we are...pets in a way?
I've already answered that vlad. I do NOT profess to believe in the same god of Abraham that the Muslims profess. I profess the one true God of Abraham of scripture. Why are you so afraid to agree or disagree with you "church"?
Oh, now - this is absolutely HILARIOUS. Seriously? Are you so embarrassed to answer the question that THIS is all you can muster? If so, it’s sad. Oh, well. For a little fun:
CCC 841 became known to you only long after you probably first of the God of Abraham. So, now that you know that Muslims profess belief in the God of Abraham do profess belief in the God of Abraham? Yes or No.
By avoiding this question, are you insinuating that because Muslims profess belief in the God of Abraham you won’t?
Are you really saying you won’t say you profess belief in the God of Abraham just because Muslims do? If not, you may not actually believe in the one true living God - and you certainly are not showing any strength of faith if you are in fact too afraid to state that belief just because Muslims do. If so, I pity you.
“I believe in the God of Abraham.”
Good! And so do Muslims and Jews and all Christians. Thus you cannot logically disagree with CCC 841. You can only make what is a thoroughly mendacious argument to the contrary. By your admission you have shown that you and Muslims agree.
Do YOU believe in him? Or do you not believe in the “God of Abraham” as CCC 841 notes Muslims do? Do you know that you share a profession of belief with Muslims and Jews? Can you stand that? Can you accept that?
Muslims profess belief in the God of Abraham. Jews profess belief in the God of Abraham. Christians profess belief in the God of Abraham. And you have too now.
“Jews believe in the same God of Abraham as do Christians. Muslims don’t.”
So you’re saying Jews believe in the Trinity? Christians believe the God of Abraham is a Trinity of Divine Persons. Are you claiming Jews believe in the Trinity?
I keep pitchin’ ‘em, and you keep missin’ ‘em. (Foghorn Leghorn)
BTW — thanks for the comedy you’re turning this into — you know, claiming Jews believe in the Trinity and all. You only need to answer yes or no to my questions - especially that one about your false claim about Jews believing in the Trinity! I’ll keep answering, but oddly, you will refuse most likely.
“Sure, you just misapply the phrase on purpose then?”
Nope. I didn’t do that either. Are you denying you believe in sola scriptura?
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