Know Your Status

Today’s Gospel Text:  In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, "Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." 34 And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" 35 And 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 called holy, the Son of God.  36 And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible." 38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:26-38

Reflection: “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.” (vs.26)

Joseph seemed to be no ordinary man; for he belonged to the house of David, and Mary was betrothed to him.

Such are the vagaries of life; what we are and what we become the immediate next moment! 

Mary through her betrothal gains new status but yet a status lived in the simplicity of life, because Joseph himself was a righteous and simple man.

This reflection on Mary and Joseph should make us pause and reflect on our own personal status, where we come from and where we belong. 

There are times in our lives when we could deliberately be searching for that elusive fame or ancestry or hold on to that noble lineage, which is again our worldly possession. 

Such attachments to imaginary or real superiority could be a major obstacle to receiving the ancestry of Jesus, rooted in God as the Father; “from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.” Eph 3:15

John the Baptist having seen the obstacles that such an attitude could throw up had this warning to the sheep:

“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  Bear fruits that befit repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." Lk. 3:7-9

Prayer: Lord, you have promised that all who receive your Son Jesus and believe in him will be empower ed to be your children. (cfr. Jn. 1:12) Accept me and my family and make us your own through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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