1.1 Response

STAGE 1: Facing Reality

MY VOCATION IN THE WORLD
GAZING AT THE VISION

RESPONSE

Aim: To ascertain that our response to God’s plan is done in a personal and collaborative way.

Reading

Mary’s response (Lk 1:26-38): In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you”. But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 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 ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end”. Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 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 holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God”. Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word”. Then the angel departed from her.

Comment

In the narrative of the Annunciation, Luke depicts very well the characteristics of a person who is “collaboratively” responding to God’s plan.

First of all, Mary listens. Listening is Mary’s real “motherhood”, her inner power and authority.

“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth”: I respond while being aware and appreciative of the place I come from and the time of history I live in.

“The virgin’s name was Mary”: I respond and collaborate, knowing who I am! And since I still know very little of myself, I do all it takes to continue my process of self-knowledge.

“Greetings, favoured one!”: I’m fundamentally happy with myself and I want to “expand” my experience. I feel already “rich” in myself and I respond to God’s plan for I want to grow richer both in nature and in grace.

“The Lord is with you”: I let go of myself and deep down I’m filled with God who is “with” me. By choosing to respond to God’s plan, I make God “all” present in me and I act “all” in communion with him.

“But she was much perplexed”: I choose to be disturbed and challenged in what I am familiar with, in order to dare more boldly and venture into a new vision that expands my personal growth and my call to serve.

“Do not be afraid, Mary”: I do not ignore my moments of “fear”, but I keep hearing the voice of God calling my name and talking to my heart, until his love helps me find meaning in my fears.

“You will conceive in your womb and bear a son”: When I listen to God who dwells in the depth of my individuality, I don’t merely carry out a task or a mission but I collaborate with God in giving birth to “His Body” within me and around me.

“How can this be?”: It is not a “pathological” but a “self-empowering” question. It is like asking: What’s the secret of the “workability” of your proposition? In my response to God’s call, I need to ask questions that spur me toward action.

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you”: The Holy Spirit works through my collaboration; in fact, my generous response to God’s plan generates in me an unimaginable creativity.

“Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word”: An authentic response to God’s plan is both an act of love (“I am the Lord’s slave of love”) and a personal choice (“Let it be with me …”).

Personal Reflection and Sharing

How does Mary’s experience resonate with my own call to respond “personally and collaboratively” to God’s plan?

[1-1] CALL RESPONSE COMMITMENT PRAYER