GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 25TH MARCH 2017
SOLEMNITY OF THE ANNUNCIATIONOF THE LORD
FIRST READING: Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10
PSALM: Ps 40: 7-11
SECOND READING: Hebrews 10, 4-10
GOSPEL: Luke 1:26-38
THEME: FULL OF GRACE
Grace is when the Lord takes the wheel of your life and leads you through the mountains and valleys of our earthly pilgrimage and imprints living testimonies on your memory. Grace makes you bear fruit even in an arid ground and enables you to run without getting weary. Where there is grace, all things are possible.
In the Gospel text for today, the angel Gabriel addresses a woman (Mary) with a title, “Hail, full of grace”. The title “full of grace” describes a favoured one upon whom, according to the angel, “the power of the Most High will overshadow” (cf. Lk 1:35).
With reference to the expression “overshadow”, it is interesting to note that the same word is used in the Greek version of Ex 40:35 to describe how the cloud (symbolising the Lord’s presence) “overshadowed” the Tabernacle and the glory of the Lord filled it.
The person of Mary fulfils the prophecy of Isaiah – “The Lord himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel” (cf. Isa 7:14). True to the prophetic words of Isaiah, Mary conceived and gave birth to the Saviour of the human race without any conjugal relation with a man – “How can this be, since I know no man?” (cf. Lk. 1: 34). Indeed grace made what is humanly impossible possible in Mary.
Taking Mary as a model, we can project what the plan of God is for each one of us. God desires to make us full of his grace. He wants to make possible in us what others think is not possible. For this to happen we need to connect to the source of grace.
Daily personal prayer, sharing the word of God with others, celebrating the Sacrament of reconciliation and frequent participation in the Eucharist are some of the key ways we tap into the grace of God.
When a car runs out of gas (fuel), it cannot move and when a Christian runs out of grace, life comes to a standstill. May we therefore turn to the Lord in prayer and ask that he may continually fill us with his grace. Amen.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, take the praise and give me the grace that I need today to run the race. Amen
Andrews Obeng, svd
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)
“May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people” (St. Arnold Janssen).