Gospel Reflection 2021/2022

God works in mysterious ways.

The word ‘mystery’ or mysterion (Greek) is used 27 times in the New Testament.

In the Catholic context, the word ‘mystery’ is something ‘mystical’ (leading us to union with God), not something ‘mythical’ (leading us to nowhere).

‘Mystery’, as the Church teaches, is God’s divine truth – incomprehensible yet intelligible – revealed to us yet we are still struggling to fully understand it.

For example, the creation of the world is a mystery of faith. It has been revealed to us in the Book of Genesis that God has created the world in six days – but we can never fully understand God’s mind and God’s way.

The Incarnation is another mystery of faith. We know that the Eternal Word of God was made flesh and was born of the Virgin Mary – but we can never fully grasp the idea of the Incarnation with our finite mind, fathom it with our human imagination or express it with our limited vocabulary.

God works in mysterious ways: for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are God’s ways higher than our ways and God’s thoughts than our human thoughts. [cf. Is 55: 9]

God chooses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things.

In the days past and in the present moment, God chooses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things.

God chose old Abraham to form a nation (Gn 12, 17-18); He chose ineloquent Moses to free the Israelites from captivity (Ex 3-4); He chose Rahab a prostitute to help the Israelites overtake Jericho (Js 2); He chose David, Jesse’s youngest son and a lowly shepherd boy, to build a kingdom (1 Sm 16); He chose the old barren couple, Zechariah and Elizabeth to bear John, the forerunner of the Messiah (Lk 1: 5-25)… And in the fullness of time – to fulfil His salvific plan perfectly (Gn 3: 15) – God chose Mary to be the Mother of His Incarnate Word (Lk 1: 26).

God’s grace and our personal response.

God calls and chooses you and me, ordinary men and women, to continue His mission here on earth. He respects our free will - He does not force us; nor does He impose Himself on us. God’s call requires our personal response. God’s grace requires our cooperation.

When the angel Gabriel appears to Mary announcing the Good News that she has been chosen to bear the Son of the Most High, she humbly and obediently responds with her ‘fiat’ (Yes-to-God), “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Lk 1: 38) God requests; and Mary responds ‘Yes’.

Mary’s ‘Yes’ is certain, continuous and consistent throughout her entire life. Mary’s ‘Yes’ propels her to move out of her comfort zone and her familiar grounds to go out to love God and serve humanity.

• • By faith, Mary accepted the Angel’s word and believed the message that she was to become the Mother of God in the obedience of her devotion. (cf. Lk 1: 38)

• • Visiting Elizabeth, she raised her hymn of praise to the Most High for the marvels He worked in those who trust Him. (cf. Lk 1: 46-55)

• • With joy and trepidation, she gave birth to her only son, keeping her virginity intact. (cf. Lk 2: 6-7)

• • Trusting in Joseph, her husband, she took Jesus to Egypt to save Him from Herod’s persecution. (cf. Mt 2: 13-15)

• • With the same faith, she followed the Lord in His preaching and remained with Him all the way to Golgotha. (cf. Jn 19: 25-27)

• • By faith, Mary tasted the fruits of Jesus’ resurrection, and treasuring every memory in her heart (cf. Lk 2: 19, 51), she passed them on to the Twelve assembled with her in the Upper Room to receive the Holy Spirit. (cf. Ac 1: 14; 2: 1-4)

[Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Apostolic Letter ‘Porta Fidei’, 11 Oct 2011]

Life is a mystery.

Life is a mystery: it is mystical (leading us to union with God), not mythical (leading us to nowhere).

Like Mother Mary, Elizabeth and John the Baptist, each one of us is willed and created for a specific mission and a unique purpose intended by God, to be discovered by our individual selves. We can live life to the full insofar as we fulfil the purpose for which we are created.

Therefore, let us imitate Mary our Mother to say ‘Yes to God’, to discover our vocation (calling and purpose) more deeply, and to live our vocation more faithfully.

Let our fervent prayer be:

“Lord Jesus Christ, help us discover and live our vocation.”