EVANGELION

1st. Reading: Micah 5:2-5a                                                        Responsorial Psalm: PS. 80:2ac and 3b;15-16a;18-19.                                                                  2nd Reading: Hebrew 10:5-10                                                                     Gospel: Luke 1:39-45       

                                                             

Theme: Let it be to me according to your word/will.

It is not by power, neither is it by might, but by the spirit says the Lord. If wishes were horses, beggars they say, will ride. Big things they say comes in small package. This exactly was the tone of the prophecy of Micah in today's first reading. He went on to prophecy on how insignificant the place our redemption will come from ''You, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel,whose origin is from ancient days. '' (Micah 5:1). This was like an inclusion to the speech of Nathaniel when he was brought to Jesus Christ by Philip after his call saying '' Philip found Nathaniel and told him 'We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth ' but Nathaniel said to him, ' can anything good come from Nazareth? 'Philip said to him, come and see. '' (John 1:45-46) And truly this was vivified in Christ Jesus. So brethren, never allow your family background to ever put your back to the ground. It doesn't matter how remote your native land is or the family you come from or the school you went through or the ugly nature of your experience in life; if you are born to be great, you are bound to be so, only if you say so, for you can be the only major stumbling block to your success in life. 

This success story of the salvific mission wouldn't have been possible if not for the 'FIAT' (CONSENT) of the Blessed Virgin Mary '' Behold  I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word '' (Luke 1:38). She never took the path of ' had I know' an after taught. Rather, she took the route via crucis in obedience and self sacrifice. Like the letter to the Hebrew, '' sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me '' (Hebrew 10:5). This body was the first tabernacle of Christ Jesus been built in the Blessed Virgin Mary. She never allowed stubbornness, insubordination or incorrigibility to blur her sense of judgement in her daily choice making when it mattered most; a challenge for us as Christians.

Furthermore, in the Gospel reading, we could see the display  of humility, total self sacrifice, charity and service of one's neighbor in the visitation she made to her cousin Elizabeth. The question is, when you get what you want, will you want what you get? If the Lord makes me rich, or get the desired job appointment, or get a good husband /wife; or become pregnant e. t. c, will I still be humble like Mary to render service to my neighbor?

Particularly as the election is fast approaching, many high sounding promises and manifestoes will be flying here and there, but when YOU eventually ascend the seat of authority as minister of this or that, will you truly dispose yourself dutifully so as to accomplish those 101 point agenda You  promised the electorates or we just see it as one of those political gimmicks? Remember that, minister does not mean Warlord or Royalty but servant. How serviceable then are we? Mary is our true model in this regard. 

We therefore pray like the psalmist that the Lord should bring us back from the Waterloo and the marry clay of selfishness, deceit, pride, tribalism, nepotism racial prejudice or colour bar, ''parapoism''  e. t. c, may his glorious face continually shine on us so as to truly love God and our neighbors in the service of both., that we might be saved.