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Visitation
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Second Week of Advent
Luke 1:26-27
The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.
No, we are no longer in Ordinary Time.
But it is nearly two weeks into the Advent season before we’re reminded why we’re here, what’s going on, and what’s going to happen next. Mary, did you know?
She’s the first to know. We celebrate Christmas in July, and Christmas in October, and Christmas on Black Friday. But those are Christmases when we buy and sell. The one coming up, the one Gabriel tells Mary about today, is about Jesus.
This moment with the angel is Mary’s wonderful gift. Wrapped in silence, adorned with the bow of God’s smile, this gift leaves her pregnant with Jesus. Now she is Theotokos, the mother of God. Her life will never be the same.
Mary will lead many to Jesus, and will lead Jesus to many. She remains involved with him throughout his life. Early on she sometimes tells him what to do; always she loves him. And finally she walks with him in the shadow of Golgotha while he struggles, beaten and exhausted, to carry his cross.
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.”
We rise today, and call her blessed. God chose her to carry Jesus, to bear his son and raise him up. Every mother, carrying her own baby, knows how sweet a time this is.
And we await the dawn of celebration. Come, Lord Jesus. Come, Holy Spirit. Mary is waiting, and so are we.
Lord, you remember your kindness and faithfulness to us and send us our redeemer. Thank you for these days of remembrance and recollection. Thank you, Father. Thank you, Jesus.
http://www.davesandel.net/category/lent-easter-devotions-2016/
http://www.christiancounselingservice.com/archived_devotions.php?article_id=1525
