The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
God keeps His word!
We had changes in work schedules due to fellow workers needing off for school plays and other events for the Christmas Holidays. Be kind to retail workers this season, because they have lives too. Now I only work part-time but it is a very busy season and my customers are full of happiness and in some cases loneliness and sadness. Our scripture today reads like a play.
One of my most favorite sayings is that I can handle hard and difficult things, and I leave the impossible to God. I not sure who said it first, but I am sure it is not original to me. The Lord himself, therefore, will give you a sign. It is this: the maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son whom she will call Immanuel, a name which means “God-is-with-us.”’ There is only one thing that is impossible for God to do and that is sin. He set the Earth spinning and the mountains and sea seperated. He set rules but in this instance, He decide to give us a Savior. His Son! God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one of the actors in our play.
Our Mother, Mary, is the second actor in this story. She had a role and a choice. She was born without Original Sin because of the miracle of the Immaculate Conception. Nonetheless, she risked her life in more ways than one to give birth to Jesus. As an unmarried woman she risked being stoned to death because she was unmarried and pregnant. Herod wanted to kill her child. Still she said “Yes” to the will of God. Be it done to me according to your word.
The third participant is the Angel, Gabriel. He too, was obeying the will of God. He is only one example to Angels in our lives. My morning prayers start with a Rosary and a prayer to my Guardian Angel. Angels are a huge part of our lives and they are mostly ignored. I do not think we hurt their feelings.
What do we learn from these three actors?
We are also part of this play, because it is the combination of God working His miracle, us in the Church accepting the will of God and angels that we don’t know about. Sometimes we are angels to others. Sometimes like Mary we have to be brave and accept the will of God. Sometimes we have to use the gift of the Holy Spirit that we received in Baptism to save our souls and the souls of those around us.
My wife, Anna, was a Parish Nurse for a number of years. She always said it was the best job she ever had as an RN. The analogy she gave came from a meditation she had comparing her hands to the hands of God, to the hands of angels, and doing it by accepting the will of God in our lives and helping the happy, lonely and forgotten this season. We are all connected, and it is all part of God’s plan.
Enjoy the Play! Merry Christmas!
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
PS: Please Pray for Cancer victims and their caregivers. Pray for the conversion of Russia and the salvation of the Ukrainian and Russian people and their soldiers. Pray for the Holy Land. Pray for peace!
