Keeping Promises
The Angel Gabriel comes to Mary to announce that she would be the mother of Our Savior …and Mary questions it! Would you have done that?!
Can you imagine an Angel of the Lord suddenly appearing before you with a message …just for you …from God! Would you question it? What would make Mary question an Angel with that kind of message for her?
For many centuries, the people of Israel had been awaiting the coming of the Messiah, the Savior, who would change their lives for the better.
Mary was a very devout Jewish young woman who knew the scriptures well, and also eagerly awaited the coming of the Messiah. But when she receives the message that she would be the mother of the Savior, the Christ, she is concerned about her earlier promise, common among devout Jewish women at that time.
The Gospel indicates that she had already made a promise of celibacy to God, (I do not know man) and wonders how God would go against that earlier promise. She is assured by the Angel that she would not have to break her promise at all, and that the Child Jesus would be conceived through the Holy Spirit.
God respects our promises. God would certainly not go forward with His plans for our salvation if Mary would not freely accept His invitation, and so the Angel Gabriel had to explain God’s answer …and await her response. When she announces, “May it be done to me according to your word” …the Christmas story can continue!
Christmas is about promises made and kept.
God had promised a Savior would come and He kept his promise. Mary had promised celibacy and she was able to keep her promise. Life works to the extent we keep our promises and commitments.
At every Mass, at the words of the consecration, Jesus promises to offer His entire life, His body and Blood, for our happiness. He even places Himself in our hands at communion. He will always keep His promises. When we receive Him at communion, we promise to do the same, and offer our gifts for the good of others. Let us keep that promise as well.
Let this Christmas season be a time to reflect on and renew our commitments, to our family, to the people and places where we work, and especially to Our Lord. As He offers Himself to us at every Mass, let us do the same at every Mass at every Sunday.
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
A most beautiful, precious Christmas to you Father Dave!!!Your words touch peiple’s hearts for your beautifully express our Faith with love!!! Dick and I love our Jesus and want to have him live in us and share His love with others!!! Love our Mass, love our Holy Eucharist, and love you for bringing us the gift of our Jesus!!! Beautiful Faith, Beautiful life, Beutiful Jesus!!! Merry Christmas overflowing with Jesus’ love for you!!!!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Franca and Dick
Merry Christmas! I still miss our annual Christmas home Mass.
I am impressed by the spirit of giving at Christmas–and other times as well. My wife Margaret is in a residential care facility nearby. There are talented musicians who come to entertain the residents (and me, when I am there.) They do this without pay, out of love. One is Paula who lugs her keyboard in. She plays very skillfully and sings lovely oldies. Another is Jim who plays the guitar very skillfully while playing the harmonica and singing country songs. They allow sing along and included Christmas Songs recently. They are inspiring examples of Christian love. Like Mary, they are serious about following God’s Law.
I am glad you were able to witness such voluntary actions by good people. What a great Christmas story!
Dear Father Dave,
To think of our dear precious, innocent Mary, giving birth in the cold of winter. Hopefully she was surrounded by angels when her heavenly moment, our Savior, came into the world.
Have a blessed and joyful Christmas and a year of good health and God’s continued blessings.
Happy Days!
Kathleen
You can be sure the Angels were always around her, every moment of her life. We should acknowledge that they are all around each of us as well. Merry Christmas!
Thanks for all your thoughtful and thought provoking comments, throughout the year. I don’t always comment on them, but I definitely learn something new with each reading. I like to think the Advent time is an opportunity to re-calibrate our thoughts, words and deeds. We can see what has worked in the past year, review the not-so-successful and adjust our words and actions moving forward. It also allows me to remember the wonderful people and events that shaped me into the person that I am today. I am grateful for all. And I hope that I have made proud.
Thanks for sharing your perfect Christmas reflections. You have the right Advent and Christmas spirit!
Fr. Dave,
Larry and I enjoy reading your weekly comments on the readings and how they apply to us. Thank you for your thoughtful input.
Have a Merry Christmas and a happy new year filled with peace and love.
Kathy and Larry Turner
Merry Christmas to you both as well! …and Happy New Year!
Fr. Dave,
It is beauitful that God keeps his promises and that we can trust in him to always do so.
Mary was the Mother of the word in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Isn’t it wonderful?
God Bless the world with Peace
Merry Christmas.
Jane
Yes, God bless the world with peace.
Merry Christmas Fr. Dave. Argyle
I wish for you and your family a very Merry Christmas as well, and a Happy New Year!
I also want to thank you for being committed in doing these readings and reflecting on them,. Since starting them, when going to the Mass on Sunday, I feel more part when going and the Word comes more alive to me and I love to hear another thought from our Priests. Thanks a million for your commitment.
I always think of how hard it should have been for her to agree and let it be done according to His word. She could have been executed for this and yet she obey ed God. There are many Christians out there in other countries dying for their faith and I hope that if that would happen here I would be strong enough to stand fast in my belief. We need to even now and yes evangelize to bring those to the faith even now and not fear what others will say. I always pray that the Lord will give me strength to speak only what He wants me to say and when He wants me to say it.
We believe you will be given the grace at the moment you need it, and not before. It would be nice to “store up” but like the manna that fell in the desert, only enough was there for just that day when they needed it. Not to worry, God will provide the grace you need.
Hi Father Dave,
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We, I, love the way you present the Scriptures, every time is a learning experience for us.
May God Bless you always.
Thank you! I wish for you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Thank you, Father Dave for the insightful reflection. Our Christmas season here in Ventura County began with uncertainly as the Thomas fire encroached perilously close to our home front. By the grace of God we were spared; however, many less fortunate were displaced after their homes perished in the flames. I had a newfound respect for our firefighters risking their lives on the front lines, analogous to Jesus, our Shepherd tending His sheep. They never faltered in their resolve to vanquish the fire, just as Jesus’s love for us never falters as He accounts for each one of us. Today Rick had to rush his father to the hospital after he sustained a fall at home. As his father’s caretaker, Rick makes a daily commitment to the health and care of his father, ultimately serving our Lord in his spirit of compassion. Merry Christmas!
You are living through a very dramatic Christmas season! Please be assurred of my prayers for Rick’s father.