March 25, 2023 – Solemnity of the Annunciation
Each day, I reflect upon a word or a phrase inspired by the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer.
Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary…” (Luke 1:30)
DO NOT BE AFRAID: One thing to keep in mind as we read Scripture: Whenever God spoke – whether through prophets, or an angel, or through his Son – he spoke not only to those there at the time, but also to us. His words transcend time and circumstance; the same message that needed to be heard back then still needs to be heard today.
And so it is with the angel Gabriel’s words to Mary: “Do not be afraid.”
We are not God; we are not perfect. That makes what God asks of us – to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul and love our neighbor as ourself – a daunting task. It is understandable that such a request would elicit fear. There are so many things battling for our time and attention, so many temptations, so much we want for ourselves – for US.
Living the life God calls us to live can be frightening. Think of what was being asked of Mary! He offers us the same consolation he did to Mary – “Do not be afraid.” God is there for us – as our support, our guide, and our comfort.
I came across a quote recently that captures the “Do not be afraid” sentiment very well: When God pushes you to the edge of difficulty, trust him fully because two things can happen: Either he’ll catch you when you fall or he’ll teach you to fly.
Who doesn’t want to learn to fly?
From the Deacon's Desk 