On this day we celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. In the Gospel, we commemorate the Archangel Gabriel appearing to Mary and announcing God’s special mission for her of conceiving the Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit. With one holy ‘YES’ of the Immaculate Mother, which is known as Mary’s FIAT (in Latin, “Let it be done”), God’s plan of redemption of the world has been fulfilled.
In Mary’s womb, Jesus assumed human nature. That is why, Jesus, like every human being, had the gestation period of nine months, from today until Christmas Day. Humans, from the time of our first parents Adam and Eve, have turned against God by sins. But Mary, together with our Savior Jesus, linked heaven and earth again. God, from the very beginning of eternity, has destined the Virgin of Nazareth to be the Mother of Jesus. Mary was given the privilege and grace to be the instrument of the Incarnation of God-Man Jesus.
Mary’s acceptance was needed first and foremost. What if Mary never said “Yes” to God’s will? Like every person who is given free will, Mary had her own free will to choose God’s mission or not. God’s grace guided her to accept God’s will for her, for all humanity, because of her virtues of obedience and trust. Her life was all about surrendering to God’s Holy Will. With Mary’s Yes, the history of mankind’s salvation was forever changed.
My Reflection
During this season of Lent, God invites you to be more like Mary. One way is by saying Yes to God’s will everyday. In your heart, you must listen to God and accept what He is telling you and where He is leading your life. Through ardent prayers to the Lord and with Our Lady’s intercession, it is definitely possible to do.
But free will and human emotions can be confused and deceived. There are times that it may seem that making a choice that is evil, wrong, or immoral serves you better. You can be tempted to go for the easier choice, which is usually the worldly or sinful choice; the kind that runs away from responsibilities and go against God’s will. Some examples are:
“I’ll just leave my wife, because the spark fizzled out after years of being together. There are plenty of women elsewhere.”
“My husband and I use contraceptives. That’s the easiest family-planning method. We can’t have more than 2 children.”
“I won’t go to Mass anymore. I don’t feel God in the Communion. I’ve got more important things to use my Sundays for.”
While a true follower of the Lord would rather choose and say:
“I’m staying with my wife no matter what. I honor our marriage vows. I love her for all that she is.”
“My husband and I are against contraception. We are pro-life. Together, we’re open to how many children God would gift us.”
“Even there’s much traffic along the way, I sacrifice hours of my Sundays to get to Mass. I desire to listen to the Word of God and receive Jesus in the Holy Communion.”
When you are faced with such temptation to favor what is easy but evil over what is moral but sacrificial, here are some reminders why saying “Yes” to God’s Will, as the Most Pure Virgin Mary did, and offering to God your personal Fiat, is the best decision, the right choice:
1. Choosing God’s will is what gives lasting joy
At first, the choices that are NOT according to God’s will can practically have more “good” consequences than bad ones. It can be more exciting and fun. But in the long run, it will not give you genuine peace. Most of the times, these ungodly choices are made out of pride or hatred. Initially, you think you are happy with your decision, because you only consider yourself, and not the decision that God wants you to choose. You may find some happiness or peace, but it will be fleeting. Sooner or later, after the short-lived happiness, excitement and fun come loneliness and regret. The pleasures of sinful choices are only superficial joy. And the “goodness” you thought it had brought you would run out.
On the other hand, it’s true that the choices according to God’s will are usually the harder and tougher things to do. They can be quite impractical and boring-sounding. Know that choosing God’s will brings a Cross in your life- more so if you’re a person who is ordinary, poor and has many life concerns. Choosing the will of God may sound too heavy for you. But that is what brings lasting joy, peace and true love in your life, especially in the spiritual sense. The inspiring words and lives of the Holy Saints attest to this truth. They all chose the will of God and experienced joy, peace and love to the depths of their souls.
Remember also that holy moment in the Annunciation when Mary indeed chose to respond “Yes” to God with her whole being. In doing so, she said “Yes” to both joys and sorrows – ‘Yes’ to all the joys of having a simple family life and caring for the Child God; ‘Yes’ to hardships; ‘Yes’ to sufferings; ‘Yes’ to sacrifices; ‘Yes’ to the sorrows of His Passion. We are eternally grateful to Our Lady for ultimately it meant ‘Yes’ to adopting us all as her spiritual children, and ‘Yes’ to God’s plan for our salvation. Every generation has been showered with the everlasting joy of Mary’s Fiat as an expression of God’s love for all of us.
2. Think of your soul when making a choice
Day-to-day life prompts you to make various choices. Usually, they are only small ones. However, at certain points in your life, you are faced with important decisions, which can be life changing and morally challenging as well. When conflicted in making such important decisions, it is best to think of your soul.
The choices you’re making, you are doing all for your soul. This is what sets a true Catholic apart from the rest. We must remember not to make a choice to meet mere physical and worldly needs, or to satisfy our humanness. Our choices must be made looking far ahead into the future, as far as our next life, which is eternity-long. With that, we know that our soul will either go to Heaven, Purgatory, or Hell. For what good is it to live a convenient life of wrong and let your soul suffer in darkness and fire for all eternity? By remembering your soul, and choosing God’s will, we strive to live in God’s grace and friendship so that someday, in God’s mercy and anointed time, we shall live with Him forever.
3. Obey and Trust in God’s plan
There comes a time when we must choose between two good’s. That is, making a choice is not necessarily always between good and evil. Choosing your life vocation is an example – to choose a Consecrated Life by Holy Orders like priesthood or to choose a married life by Holy Matrimony. Both are “good” and we know that anyone who must decide between the two honestly seeks to follow God’s will. Furthermore, in the process of discerning which of the good’s to choose, it is important to remember that either choice would surely bring joys and sufferings or Crosses. Life is unpredictable; we don’t know the end result of either choice. But the more essential thing is that you should just be open to answer God’s call to you.
Without questions and complaints, Mary immediately and hastily obeyed. She remained cheerful and joyful in accepting the Will of God, because of her virtue of trust. She trusted in His plan for her life, for her Son, for the world. Whenever you say “Yes” to God, trust that He has a plan for you and your loved ones. By so doing, He will definitely lead you in the right path and through His grace, prepare you for whatever His will is.
Mary was filled with the Holy Spirit, that’s why she was able to choose with wisdom, obedience and trust. How can the Holy Spirit come upon us? Through the Sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church- by receiving Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist, by praying, and by striving to live a blameless life, because this is the Will of God. The Will of God is for us to be with Him in Heaven, out of His deep love and mercy for us. And we can only achieve salvation if we follow His laws and commands.
Mama Mary, pray for us!
Amen.
She graduated cum laude from the University of Santo Tomas, the country's Pontifical and Catholic university, with an AB in Legal Management and minor units in Theology.
As an unmarried woman, prayer holds a central place in her daily life, with a focus on the Rosary and the Divine Office. Embodying her faith, she emphasizes the growth of her inner spiritual life, guided by the wisdom of Carmelite spirituality.
God manifested to her in a unique and radical manner, which made her know Who He truly is and led her to total surrender of her life to Him.
She has studied the Bible with her family, developing a particular fondness for the Old Testament.
Her adorable and intelligent toy poodle is a delightful companion in her daily life, bringing warmth and joy to her home.
Her hobbies include reading about everything, learning Japanese and German, listening to music and playing the flute.
In her leisure time, she enjoys gaming on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch OLED, Nintendo 3DS, iOS and OS, and collecting things related to PlayStation and Nintendo.
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