Next week, Bishop Rhoades is going to give us a CD titled, "The Jesus Question".
How we answer the question “Who is
Jesus?” makes all the difference.
The Church today asks us to reflect on
this question, and it is especially the words of the Archangel that
Gabriel help us to understand who Jesus is: he is the new King of
David's line, the Messiah who will restore Israel to what it is meant
to be: God's righteous children who are destined for holiness and
eternal life.
The first word Gabriel says, 'Hail' in
the Greek language actually means 'Rejoice.' Gabriel's news about
Jesus is actually something to rejoice about. A couple weeks ago I
reminded us that if we don't envision that we need a savior, then
Jesus' coming won't be a big deal. But if we do realize that we are
sinners who are in quite a bit of a mess and really in need of
Almighty God's help, today we rejoice with Mary, because that help
comes once and for all in Jesus. Gabriel's first word points
backwards as well; and in fact, if you take the Latin word for 'hail'
which is “Ave” (as in Ave Maria) then you get Eva, the name of
the first woman of all time, who along with Adam fall into the trap
of sin that every one of us knows too well. Finally, after
generations upon generations of waiting and expectation of that first
promise God made about our redemption that the serpent's head would
be crushed, Mary the New Eve and her Son, the New Adam, are here to
untie the knot of sin that the human race is found tied up within.
Just think, Adam and Eve, and you and me, we human beings commit a
sin against God, an infinite fault against an infinitely huge and
infinitely loving Creator – what could we, finite beings as we are,
do to make up for that? How you do fill up the Grand Canyon when all
you have is a bucket? This is God's genius today: The Lord, the
infinite One who made the Grand Canyon and the ocean that can fill
it, enters our finite humanity so that finite human nature can make
up the infinite debt. That's what a Savior is: someone who unties
the knot that binds up as prisoner. This is exactly what we all long
for more than anything, ever.
But before all that could happen, we
needed Mary. God chooses not to force His plan on humanity, but
rather wants us to freely choose it: He invites the sinless one,
Mary, to be the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of all of us. Will
she say yes? All of creation, Mary, waits for your reply. Angels
are holding their breath as they watch your eyes burn at Gabriel's
invitation. Moses, David, Abraham, and all the patriarchs had longed
with all their hearts to see this moment come. Please be bold!
Don't let your perfect humility hold you back when the Lord also gave
you the courage and the greatness to say “amen” to His Holy Will!
Please, Mary, we need you! “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
Let it be done to me according to your word.” With this reply,
The world sighs with relief and delight, and Mary gives Gabriel, and
the whole human race, something to rejoice about for all eternity.
We have our savior. We have our hope. That is who Jesus is, and
that makes all the difference. Thank you, Mary!
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