The WORD
today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/090817.cfm)
reminds me that God loves to lift up those who are fully surrendered and
dependent on Him.
Jesus said that the mustard
seed is the smallest or one of the smallest seeds on earth. It looks very
simple, maybe insignificant. But when it dies of itself and allows the earth to
take over, it grows to a very huge tree. Very powerful, mighty, and useful -
very far from the small seed that it was. This is what God can do to those who
depend on Him.
Today,
we celebrate the nativity of Mama Mary. We see how God looks not on the worldly
standards and accomplishments, but rather on the heart. He chose a
simple woman from a simple town to be the earthly mother of Jesus. God did not
choose a queen or someone from a powerful family. God chose someone with
a pure heart, with a heart that
would surrender to Him, and God lifted her up.
God loves
to lift up mightily those who are fully surrendered to Him.
When Mama Mary said yes to the
angel to be the earthly mother of the Son of God, she made no demands. She made no conditions. She humbly surrendered herself
to God. We see that in the gospel, that she did not even ask what will happen
to her, who will be her partner, and other details. She just surrendered to
God and trusted that God will take care
of everything. In the gospel, we see that when Joseph had plans
of leaving Mary, God sent an angel to prevent him to – without Mary knowing and
asking. God takes care of those who trust in Him.
We
are encouraged to know what is important in the eyes of God. Not human
achievements, not power or fame, not money or wealth, not physical beauty, not
strength. God looks for a clean, humble
heart that would surrender to him. That is all he needs to use us
mightily, that is all he needs to fulfill his purpose in and through us. Let us
work on having that.
What are my goals in life? Do I
strive for human achievement, fame, power and money? Do I also recognize and
work on things for God? Do I believe that he can and will use me mightily if I
let him? Do I know that he only needs a clean and humble heart that will submit
to him?
May
we always have a pure heart, ready and willing to die of ourselves and
surrender to God.
Thank you for
today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for the reminder. Thank you
for sending Mama Mary to be our model of a servant and of a mother. Thank you
for reminding me that you don’t need and wont look at my worldly achievements.
Thank you for letting me know that all you need is a humble heart that will
submit to you. Sorry for the times I focus on the wrong things. Sorry for the
times I give too much importance on worldly accomplishments and achievements.
Help me put things in perspective. Help me know what is important. May I always
be inspired by Mama Mary’s simple yet great faith as seen in her life. May I
always say “yes” to you, and may I always submit myself to you as Mama Mary
did, having faith that you would take care of me and would do great things
through me. Amen.
Blessed
day!
In
Christ,
-g-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 8, 2017
Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Lectionary: 636
Reading 1MI 5:1-4A
You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah,
too small 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 of old,
from ancient times.
(Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time
when she who is to give birth has borne,
And the rest of his brethren shall return
to the children of Israel.)
He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock
by the strength of the LORD,
in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;
And they shall remain, for now his greatness
shall reach to the ends of the earth;
he shall be peace.
OrROM 8:28-30
We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.
For those he foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son,
so that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers.
And those he predestined he also called;
and those he called he also justified;
and those he justified he also glorified.
Responsorial PsalmPS 13:6AB, 6C
Though I trusted in your mercy,
let my heart rejoice in your salvation.
R. With delight I rejoice in the Lord.
Let me sing of the LORD, "He has been good to me."
R. With delight I rejoice in the Lord.
Alleluia
Blessed are you, holy Virgin Mary, deserving of all praise;
from you rose the sun of justice, Christ our God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 1:1-16, 18-23
the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham became the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah,
whose mother was Tamar.
Perez became the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab became the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz,
whose mother was Rahab.
Boaz became the father of Obed,
whose mother was Ruth.
Obed became the father of Jesse,
Jesse the father of David the king.
David became the father of Solomon,
whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asaph.
Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
Joram the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah became the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amos,
Amos the father of Josiah.
Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers
at the time of the Babylonian exile.
After the Babylonian exile,
Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud.
Abiud became the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok.
Zadok became the father of Achim,
Achim the father of Eliud,
Eliud the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar became the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.
Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
"Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins."
All this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means "God is with us."
OrMT 1:18-23
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
"Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins."
All this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means "God is with us."
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