Herald of the Good News

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Meditation on Tuesday, 2nd week of Advent, year C2

I’ve always been intrigued by what preaching was like. Was it really a revelation of an Angel with power? Or was it a silent conviction that was born in Mary’s heart?
There is no doubt, however, that God sent an Angel to Mary. He also sends it to each of us every day. The question is, do we see this Angel?

I invite you to pray together over today’s Gospel passage.

Find yourself a comfortable and quiet place. Plan a half hour to meet the Living God.

Sit down, open your bible and make the sign of the cross, you can light a candle. These are important gestures that confirm that I want to meet God in this prayer.

Close your eyes and try to feel your body. Feel your feet on the floor, your thighs, your hands, your own clothes, and finally your face. Please try this several times. Calm down, listen to your own deep breath. Take about 5 minutes to do this.

Realize the presence of the Lord. Use your imagination, see how he looks at you lovingly.

Ask that the Lord will open your senses so that you can always see the Angel He sends to you every day.

Read today’s Luke 1: 26-38 carefully.

God sent Angel Gabriel.

God sends an Angel to each of us, and that every day. Can I say I see this Angel? Who or what is my Herald of the Good News? Do I see the good that God gives me every day? Or maybe I do not notice? What prevents me from seeing God and His works in my everyday life? What am I staring at? In God or in my poverty? Or maybe I have some ideas of what God’s Angel should look like? Maybe I have some ideas about what his works should be like? Maybe I just live in emptiness and I don’t care about everything anymore? I’ll try to see it all, but I won’t judge myself.

Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you … Mary was mixed up and pondered what this would mean.

Mary hears what God says to each of us every day: “Rejoice, you are graceful, the Lord is with you, you are blessed.” I will try to hear the voice of Jesus saying these words to me. Hearing these words, Mary was confused. What am I feeling? Joy, confusion, embarrassment, pride, euphoria? Or maybe pride, sadness, embarrassment? Whatever it is, let me try to name it. And I will not judge myself again. I will also consider what these words mean FOR ME. What do the words of the Angel mean to me: “rejoice”, “you are full of grace”? What does it mean to me that “the Lord is with me”? What does “are you blessed?” What is God trying to tell me through these words? Do I understand them? Maybe not? Maybe they are just words with no content? Again, I will not judge myself, but I will ask the good Father to explain the meaning of these words to me.

Do not be afraid, you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. … How will this happen? The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

The angel coming to us, not only assures us of God’s grace and presence. It not only gives us words of comfort and strength, but also calls us very specifically to… bear Jesus every day. A Christian is someone to whom God has revealed great things. It’s someone who knows who he is and what his mission is. So what is my mission? What does it mean for me to give birth to Jesus every day? Do I know that my primary task is to carry and show Jesus to other people in my everyday life? After the Annunciation, Mary went quickly to minister to Elizabeth. In spite of my vocation, selection and endowment, academic and professional titles, can I serve my loved ones in their everyday life, in the simplest matters? It is possible that the question is how should I do this? How can I bring Christ to other people? Maybe I’m afraid of what others will say about me? The angel tells me: Do not be afraid, the Holy Spirit will give you the opportunity and the power to give birth to Jesus for every creature you meet in life.

Talk to Jesus like friend to friend.

End with the prayer “Our Father” and the sign of the cross.