Day 4: Sunday, February 12, 2012
Mary's Well, St. Joseph's Church, Basilica of the Annunciation, Caesarea Philippi
Today is Mary's day!
We travel to Nazareth, the place of the Incarnation.
And the Lord was made flesh and dwelt among us. (Jn 1:14)
Returning from exile in Babylonia, the House of David was settled in several towns of Galilee. The families of Mary and Joseph settled in Nazareth, a town of about 150 inhabitants in Jesus' lifetime. This extended family was clan of the Nazarene, that is the "shoot of Jesse," father of King David. From this clan of David the Messiah, the Christ, would come…..
Here we will walk where the builder, Joseph, known to his neighbors as a "just man" and Mary, the sinless one walked,…prayed,…laughed,…danced,…cried,…worked,…slept,…ate,…and longed for the coming of the Messiah…
How human is Mary to me?... I know the story so well, does the end deprive me of feeling her confusion seeing an angel:
"Rejoice so highly favored! The Lord is with you… Do not be afraid; you have won God's favor. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and be called the Son of the Most High…"
"But how can this come about since I am a virgin?"
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And the child will be…called the Son of God."
"I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me…"
GOD IS WITH US!
All of us have "be it done to me" moments… Usually it takes us longer than Our Mother Mary to surrender our control in loving trust in God….
With Mary of Nazareth can you recall your "be it done to me moments and bring our Mother into your place of pain and confusion…
Have you in prayer sat and entered into St. Joseph's confusion, hurt, disappointment, possible anger… It would be a painful wait before an angel would assure Joseph of God's amazing Incarnation in his betrothed…
Where have you had to learn trust by waiting on God's time….What did you learn?....
Song: Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace
The Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women
And blest is the fruit of your womb, Jesus
Holy Mary, Mother of God
Pray for us sinners now
And at the hour of death. Amen!
We pray the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary:
1. The Resurrection of our Lord
2. The Ascension into Heaven
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit
4. The Assumption of Mary
5. The Coronation of Mary
I can only imagine how it must feel to pray and reflect in the actual area where the Incarnation took place... Father, your reflections are moving. I continue to journey with all of you from here! Looking forward to the next postings.
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