Courage and Faithfulness

The Annunciation of he Lord, today's solemnity, marks not only the Incarnation of the Son of God, but also the virginal motherhood of God, two events that on a human level are not only unlikely, but also improbable and even impossible.  But "nothing is impossible for God" (Lk 1: 37). And so we have God-made-man of a virgin, who also becomes our mother, as we, through baptism become children of God and brothers and sisters of Jesus: a mystery well worth pondering today as part of our Lenten prayer. It took courage for Mary to agree to this invitation into the unknown, to motherhood without a husband at the time of Gabriel's appearance.  Courage and fidelity the rest of her days, as the God's plan for her son unfolded from his departure from the family, his itinerant preaching to his passion and cross. Can we imagine the depth of pain as she held the lifeless corpse of her Son at the foot of the cross? No doubt she clung on in a faith that reaped its reward at the resurrection of Jesus.
Jesus himself, the Son of God, "emptying himself" to take on our human, nature, to become a bond-servant who gave his last drop of blood for us after a "career" of preaching to many a deaf ear, healing many an ungrateful person, suffering criticism and opposition that led to his condemnation to death on the cross, shows us the way of courage and faithfulness.  "Not my will, Father, but yours be done." ( Lk 22:41). How petty our struggles, our disappointments, our aches and pains of body and spirit, in light of these two great models.
Lord God, replace my weakness and pettiness with the great courage and faithfulness of Jesus and Mary, Amen.
Bro. Rene