 Annunciation - Fra Angelico |
December 20, 2011
O Key of David, and scepter of the house of Israel: you open and no one shuts; you shut and no one opens. Come and lead forth from his prison the captive sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death. (Traditional "O" Antiphon)
Dear Family of Mary!
"Dear children! Today when Jesus is born and by His birth brings immeasurable joy, love and peace, I call you, in a special way to say your 'yes' to Jesus. Open your hearts so that Jesus enters into them, comes to dwell in them and starts to work through you. Only in this way will you be able to comprehend the true beauty of God's love, joy and peace. Dear children, rejoice in the birth of Jesus and pray for all those hearts that have not opened to Jesus so that Jesus may enter into each of their hearts and may start working through them - so that every person would be an example of a true person through whom God works."(Annual apparition to Jakov Colo, December 25, 2000)
The Gospel for today is Luke 1:26-38, the Annunciation. As I checked through the Christmas messages, I found this one given to Jakov in 2000. It really seems to fit with the Annunciation.
In this message Our Lady tells us to "say your "yes" to Jesus" - which is exactly what she did all those years ago at the Annunciation. When Gabriel came to her with the Father's word, she said "yes" to all that the Father asked of her, which was to say "yes" to Jesus, "yes" to His coming into her heart, "yes" to His being conceived in her womb, "yes" to His becoming her child! Wow! That was quite a "yes"!
The message continues, "Open your hearts so that Jesus enters into them, comes to dwell in them and starts to work through you." Our Lady assumes that every "yes" to God will be a "yes" to the coming of Jesus into the heart. This is the ultimate gift of God - that Jesus comes into our hearts and dwells in us, and works through us. This is what the Father wants to do in each of us, give us Jesus as our inner guest and guide. So, like Our Lady, we will become the dwelling place of Jesus. And He will bless us, change us, heal us, lead us, and love us from within our very hearts!
So today, as we read and contemplate the words of Scripture in Luke 1, let's ask for the grace to say "yes" to the coming of Jesus in our hearts. We will become true people through whom God works if we do!
Christmas Novena Prayer: Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary at midnight in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of my Savior, Jesus Christ and of his blessed Mother. Amen
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Cathy Nolan © Mary TV 2011 |
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