Daily Gospel Reflection
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December 20, 2020
The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
“Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“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.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.
During Advent, we honor Mary and reflect on the graced role she played in the story of our salvation. In today’s gospel, the angel announces to Mary that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, she will bear the Son of God. Mary responds by offering herself with openness to God’s will.
This is Mary’s first appearance in Scripture; what we know of Mary’s life prior to the Annunciation comes from early Christian stories and tradition about her parents, her birth and presentation in the temple, and her growth into the fullness of grace given to her at the moment of conception. These stories remind us that Mary’s offer of herself as the handmaid of the Lord was made possible by the Holy Spirit’s working throughout Mary’s life, forming her in grace and preparing her to be the Mother of God.
Reflecting on this mystery is awe-inspiring and encouraging. I imagine God working behind-the-scenes through Mary’s parents, through her friends, family and community, and through all the events—joyful and sorrowful—of her young life to accomplish our salvation. It encourages me to know that we are prepared by the Holy Spirit for the times when we need to be freely open to God’s will.
When life feels out of my control, I am called, like Mary, to surrender in grace to a will greater than my own. God prepares me through the faith-filled people and formative events of my life to be able to do so. When I do, my surrender is in communion with the whole Church, as together in Christ we offer ourselves, as Mary did most fully, to be open to God’s will.
Prayer
Eternal God, Author of Life, through the “Yes” of our Blessed Mother, the yoke of sin and death was broken and the gates of salvation were opened to the human race. We pray in thanksgiving for Mary’s trust in, and obedience to, your holy will. As we approach the blessed season of Christmas, may we echo her words “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” We ask this in the name of Christ the Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Vincenzo Romano was canonized on October 14, 2018, in Rome by Pope Francis. Vincenzo was canonized alongside Pope Paul VI, Oscar Romero, and four others. Vincenzo's hands-on ministry in his hometown earned him the sobriquet "The Worker Priest," and he presents a model for pastors everywhere of simple, self-giving holiness.
On June 3, 1751, Nicola Luca and Maria Grazia Romano welcomed their third son to the family. They baptized him Vincenzo, after their favorite saint, the miracle-working Dominican, St. Vincent Ferrer. The young Vincenzo developed a love for Jesus from a young age. He read the widely-published devotions of St. Alphonsus Ligouri and he fostered a deep devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Early in his childhood, it became clear that Vincenzo was going to follow in his older brother Pietro's footsteps and become a priest. His father briefly tried to persuade him to be a goldsmith but he quickly saw that that was a lost cause.
Despite some difficulties finding a patron to pay for his seminary education, Vincenzo began studying for ordination in Naples at the age of fourteen. He was ordained a priest on June 10, 1775. He celebrated his first Mass in his home parish of Santa Croce, in his hometown of Torre del Greco. Fortuitously, he was assigned to Torre del Greco as his first assignment as a young priest. He became well-loved by the orphans and poor of Torre del Greco, among whom he worked with seemingly unlimited energy.
During the summer of 1794, the irascible Mount Vesuvius erupted and showered ash and destruction on Torre del Greco. Vincenzo's beloved Santa Croce sustained damage as well, and Vincenzo lived up to his nickname "The Worker Priest" by organizing the efforts to rebuild the church building.
Vincenzo dedicated his homilies to catechetical instruction of his parishioners, and he devoted himself to proper Christian formation for everyone—from the poorest child in the parish to each of the seminarians in his care. Vincenzo died on December 20, 1831, and is buried in his beloved Santa Croce.
Vincenzo did not write acclaimed theological treatises or travel very far from his hometown, but he is a universal witness to holiness. He cared for his flock faithfully in times of natural disaster and in the simple everyday struggles of communal life. Vincenzo lived Christ's humble, hidden life in Nazareth in Torre del Greco, and his faithful imitation of Christ has yielded the Church a new saint and a beautiful model of faithful priesthood.
St. Vincenzo Romano, tireless shepherd for the people of God—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Vincenzo Romano is in the public domain. Last accessed November 21, 2024 on Wikimedia Commons.
