a "mary," merry christmas
"Mary said to the angel, 'How can this be...?' " —Luke 1:34
To have a true Christmas, to meet Christ at Mass in a new, glorious way during the Christmas season, we must have a "Mary" Christmas and love Jesus as Mary does. To have a "Mary" Christmas, we should:
- not fear (Lk 1:30),
- be filled with God's grace (Lk 1:30),
- have "the Holy Spirit...come upon" us (Lk 1:35),
- believe that "nothing is impossible with God" (Lk 1:37),
- rejoice in being the Lord's servants, that is, the slaves of the Lord (Lk 1:38),
- "let it be done" to us according to God's Word (Lk 1:38),
- trust "that the Lord's words" to us will "be fulfilled" (Lk 1:45),
- proclaim "the greatness of the Lord" and find "joy in God" our Savior (Lk 1:46-47),
- "be pierced with a sword" of sorrow (Lk 2:35),
- "do whatever [Jesus] tells" us and tell others to do the same (Jn 2:5),
- be at the foot of Jesus' cross (Jn 19:25), and
- together devote ourselves to constant prayer for a new Pentecost (Acts 1:14).
A "Mary" Christmas is a Christmas of faith, joy, self-sacrifice, obedience, evangelistic zeal, redemptive suffering, praise-filled worship, and constant prayer in the Holy Spirit.
"Mary" Christmas!
Prayer: Jesus, may You get what You want for Christmas.
Promise: "The favors of the Lord I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim Your faithfulness." —Ps 89:2
Praise: "O Radiant Dawn, Splendor of eternal light, Sun of Justice: come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death."
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, June 30, 2014
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