Obedience and the Joyful mysteries
The first five decades, the “joyful mysteries”, are marked by the joy radiating from the event of the Incarnation. To meditate upon the “joyful” mysteries is to enter the ultimate causes and the deepest meaning of Christian joy, and focus on the realism of the mystery of the Incarnation and on the obscure foreshadowing of the mystery of the saving Passion. Mary leads us to discover the secret of Christian joy, reminding us that Christianity is, first and foremost, euangelion- “good news”, having as its heart and its whole content the person of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh (John 1:14), the one Savior of the world.
Consider, on the one hand, the immense ruin that sin brings upon souls, as it deprives them of the friendship of God and of Paradise, and condemns them to an eternity of pain. And, on the other hand, consider the infinite love which God showed in this great work of the incarnation of the Word, causing his only-begotten Son to sacrifice his divine life by the hands of executioners on a cross (John 3:16), in a sea of sorrows and of infamy, to obtain for us pardon and life eternal. Oh, in contemplating this great mystery and this excess of divine love, how can we do otherwise than exclaim: O infinite goodness! O infinite mercy! O infinite love! For a God to become man, and to die for me!
The very first mystery, the Annunciation, is clearly marked by the joy radiating from the event of the Incarnation. Gabriel's greeting to the Virgin of Nazareth is linked to an invitation to messianic joy: “Rejoice, Mary”. The whole of salvation history, in some sense, the entire history of the world, has led up to this greeting. If it is the Father's plan to unite all things in Christ (Ephesians 1:10), then the whole of the universe is in some way touched by the divine favor with which the Father looks upon Mary and makes her the Mother of his Son. The whole of humanity, in turn, is embraced by the fiat with which she readily agrees to the will of God.
The Biblical background of the Annunciation includes the announcement of the Birth of John the Baptist and its effect on John’s parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:5-24, 57-66). Related to the Annunciation also are New Testament teachings on obedience to the will of God. Mary’s words, ‘Let it be with me according to your word’ (Luke 1:38b), call to mind the obedience of Jesus and the words of the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy will be done” (Luke11:2).
What would have happened if Mary should have said "no way"?
To Be Continued...
Mary, Spiritual Vessel, Pray for us!!!
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