Tuesday 20 December 2022

Today is Tuesday the 20th of December, in the fourth week of Advent.

The nuns of Mary, Queen of Apostles sing, ‘Gabriel’s Message’. Begin to picture the scene of the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary… set the place in your mind and now enter into prayer there …


The angel Gabriel from heaven came
His wings as drifted snow
His eyes as flame
"All hail" said he "thou lowly maiden Mary
Most highly favored lady," Gloria, Gloria
"For known a blessed mother thou shalt be
All generations laud and honor thee
Thy Son shall be Emanuel
By seers foretold
Most highly favored maid," Gloria, Gloria
Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head
"To me be as it pleaseth God, " she said,
"My soul shall laud and magnify His holy name."
Most highly favored lady, Gloria, Gloria
Of her, Emanuel, the Christ was born
In Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn
And Christian folk throughout the world will ever say:
"Most highly favored lady," Gloria!

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke.


Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to her, ‘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 holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.

Mary is perplexed by Gabriel’s message. She ponders what kind of news it can be. But Gabriel is attentive to her response and reassures her, saying ‘Do not be afraid.’ Do you have a sense of what God is asking of you today? Hear those words of Gabriel addressed to you right now: ‘Do not be afraid.’

Unafraid to ask the obvious question, Mary says ‘How can this be since I am a virgin?’ What are the obvious questions that you need to put to God? Are you able to take the risk of putting them to God? How does he respond?

As you listen to the reading again, imagine you are present to Mary and Gabriel. Notice their subtle reactions to one another. Let yourself be drawn into the conversation.

Mary responds to Gabriel by simply saying, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ How do you want to respond to God today?

O Wisdom
Lord and Ruler
Root of Jesse
Key of David
Root of Jesse
Rising Sun
King of the Nations
Emmanuel
Come, Lord Jesus