Be Not Afraid to choose Obedience!

During the Liturgical season of Advent, the Catholic faithful are encouraged to meditate on the Joyful Mysteries during their daily Rosary. This week I would like to offer my audience a personal reflection, prayer and a suggestion for meditation on the Gospel scene of Luke 1: 26 -37: "The Annunciation". This is the first Joyful Mystery.

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a Virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the House of David; and the Virgin's name was Mary. And he came to Her and said, Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with you. But She was greatly troubled at this saying and considered in Her mind what kind of greeting this might be. And the angle said to Her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God and behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall call His Name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of his father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How can this be since I have no husband?" And the angel said to Her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and overshadow you; therefor the child to be born will be called holy." And behold your kinswoman Elizabeth is her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible."

Reflection: The first Joyful Mystery teaches us to imitate Mary in prompt obedience to the plan of God. Tradition tells us that when the Angel Gabriel appeared, Mary was praying with Scriptures for the Messiah to come. Gabriel must been magnificent in both stature and persona! Was it his grandeur that startled Her? OR....was She shaken because She never, ever expected God to use Her to answer this prayer of Her people? We read that Mary was greatly troubled at first and had some (maybe a lot), of questions. Yet, with a firm belief that all things are possible with God, obedience was given immediately. Mary did not hesitate to say, "Yes!".
Prayer: Mother Mary, as we pray this decade, please ask God to fill us with His Grace, to be generous with His gift of courage so that we may be obedient to His Voice. May we always  answer whole-heartily, "Yes!" to whatever God is calling us to do.
Suggestion for meditation:  Place yourself in the Bible scene as an eye witness to "The Annunciation". When, in your imagination, you witness Mary say, "Be it done to me according to your word," ask the Angel Gabriel to give our Heavenly Father your permission to be used as He wills.