Lk 1, 26-39a
It is the reading of the memory of our Lady
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, you who enjoy God’s favour! The Lord is with you.’
She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Look! You are to conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus.He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I have no knowledge of man?’ The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. And I tell you this too: your cousin Elizabeth also, in her old age, has conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ Mary said, ‘You see before you the Lord’s servant, let it happen to me as you have said.’ And the angel left her.
For many peoples, the kingdom was a sacral kingdom. The ruler was regarded as being appointed by God, and it was not uncommon for the king himself to be regarded as a God and, at worst, to demand a veneration and adoration of his person, which is only due to God.
When we look at the kingdom of Mary, we understand a little how God would have understood this kingdom, how we can look at the kingdom of Christ, and also in the participation in this kingdom.
With the Mother of the Lord, we quickly realize that this is a dominion of love. When we honor Mary, we honor God, who called her to such a wonderful mission and drew her so close to himself. We also honour her wonderful “yes” to the will of God, which is presented to us in today’s text. We honor the wonderful virtues that become visible in her life, her fidelity, her heroic soul, which accompanied her Son to death, for God has done great things to her!
In the contemplation of our royal mother (a term that is certainly chosen quite rarely, but is quite right), we also discover the dignity of the creatures, which is raised high by God and comes to completion in Mary. We discover her humility, and the mystery is revealed that true dominion is in the service of God and men! We are reminded of the word of Jesus, where it says:
The kings of the earth rule over their peoples, and the powerful can be called benefactors. But it shall not be so with you, but the greatest among you shall be as the smallest and the leader shall be as the serving man (Lk 22:25-26).
In the right veneration of Mary, people turn with confidence to her merciful and gentle mother and hope that she listens to them. Countless testimonies tell of the fact that the requests addressed to her do not go unheard. Sometimes the mild queen was reflected in earthly holy women, for example like a Saint Elizabeth, who always kept her heart open to the needy.
In the mild kingdom of Mary we notice how God reigns and how he wants us to rule!
Mary is concerned about the physical and even more concerned for the spiritual well-being of her children. She wants to convey her closeness to God to people and in this way she also shows us how God is in his heart. Who does not like to honor to her once he has recognized her? Who can deny her a wish? Who does not change himself under their mild reign of love? Who does she not encourage to love the Lord and the people even more?
The mild reign of Mary reduces the hardness of the man and opens the eyes to the true dignity of a women. How many men need to learn to truly love their wives and to assume their responsibilities as the head of the family! How many women lose their true identity and dignity and seek self-realization in the wrong way! If everyone went to Mary’s school and let themselves be led by her mild royalty, then the Holy Spirit, the divine Bridegroom of Mary, could heal wounds, give direction the confused, expel the dark and bring everything back into the order of God!
Under the mild reign of Mary the reign of the Lord, who will reign over the house of Jacob for eternity, will be even more understandable, and his dominion will have no end. Under the guidance of Our Lady, we will learn to speak to God with all our hearts: “it shall happen as You have said! “.
Harpa Dei accompanies the daily scriptural interpretation or spiritual teaching of Br. Elija, their spiritual father. These meditations can be heard on the following website www.en.elijamission.net
