NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE…

OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY

Acts 1:12-14 
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away;13 and when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.14 All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

Luke 1:26-38 

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.28 And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!”
29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.32 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,33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How shall this be, since I have no husband?”
35 And the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.
36 And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

MEDITATION

THE FIRST READING recall the eleven apostles, Mary the mother of Christ and the other womens journey to Jerusalem, to gather in the Upper Room in prayer for fifty days untill the day of ‘pentecoste,’ a greek word that denote fiftieth.

The fifty days of devotional prayer accords with the Jewish feast of ‘Shavuot’ which mean ‘weeks’ whereby the harvested summer fruits are offered up in the temple in Thanksgiving, for the deliverance of the Hebrew people from the Egyption occupation. Also forshadowed, is the dispensing of the “fruits of the Spirit (Rom 8:23;Gal 5:22) that occured on Pentecost Sunday.

St LUKE recount Mary’s state of disbelief when the angel Gabriel visited and adressed her using the Greek term ‘kecharitomene’ denoting that God has already filled her with divine life and grace. The word “Hail” also signify an office that denote the queenship of Mary. In St Johns apocolytic discourse he affirm Mary’s office in the Church, when he describe her as being “clothed with the sun with the moon under her feet and a crown with twelve stars on her head!” Rev 12:1

As we move towards the season of Advent we are similarly called to spend much time in prayer and devotion, not forgetting to implore our heavenly mother Mary to keep watch with us; so that her Son may heal and deliver us from sin. The angel Gabriel also convey to you and me that with God and Mary on our side, nothing will be impossible, because she is indeed the mother who mediate all graces. Moreover, she is an advocate, the new Ark of the covenant!  

LET US PRAY:Luke 1:46-50;52:-55

46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,48 for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.50 And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation.
52 he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree;53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.”

Commentary. Henry R SYLVESTER Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.