LOST TICKET

“For nothing will be impossible for God.” — Luke 1:37

I was about to go home when I realized that the parking ticket was missing from my pocket. Wah! A P20.00 ticket will turn into a P200 charge plus all the hassle of accomplishing registration documents!

       “Lord, nothing is impossible. Please let the ticket be returned to me,” I prayed. I went back to the mall with no idea where to start. I hummed a worship song, eyes on the ground, until… voila! A tiny folded paper from afar. Could it be my ticket? I picked it up and yes! It was my ticket! Thank you, Lord!

       A year later, just as I was sharing this incident, it happened again. It could have slipped from my pocket. I smiled and prayed “Sorry, Lord, it happened again, but I know we can find it.” I went back where we dined, and there it was! Amazing!

       When I ask God if He will love me no matter what, He gives me a promise, “If you can find that very small folded paper in the middle of a very large mall, I will always find you no matter how big the world may seem to you.”

       Nothing is impossible for God. He who created everything can do anything. Dreus Cosio (andreus.cosio@gmail.com)

Reflection: Are you tired of using your own strength? It’s time to turn to God and let Him handle it.

Lord Jesus, I lift up everything to You. I open myself to Your greater plans for me. Amen.

Isaiah prophesies deliverance for the city of Jerusalem from the besieging armies of Assyria. It is important for us to hear this message as Matthew will interpret it as a prophecy of the deliverance of the people of God from their sins when Jesus is born to the Virgin Mary. Maybe this is not the literal meaning of the words of Isaiah, but they are certainly within the ambit of the spiritual meaning as inspired by the Holy Spirit in the mind of Matthew.

10 The Lord spoke to Ahaz: 11 “Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!” 12 But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not tempt the Lord!” 13 Then Isaiah said: “Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.”

1 The Lord’s are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it. 2 For he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. (R) 3 Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord? Or who may stand in his holy place? 4 He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain. (R) 5 He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, a reward from God his savior. 6 Such is the race that seeks for him, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob. (R)

The easiest and best way to call down the grace of God in our lives is to be obedient to His calling. God must provide for us the grace to do His will if we accept it in our lives, because this is what He has promised to do. Let us never doubt the promises of God; let us always be obedient to His will! If we do these two things, I am sure our lives will be filled with God’s blessings — not just for ourselves, but for others as well.

O Key of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness!

26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” 35 And the angel said to her in reply, “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, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; 37 for nothing will be impossible for God.” 38 Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

think:  The easiest and best way to call down the grace of God in our lives is to be obedient to His calling.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Wisdom 13-15

SAYING YES TO GOD

The story told by Luke is ancient yet ever new. A virgin is visited by an angel of God and is called to accept the call to be the mother of God’s Son. Artists have given their impression, hymnists have revealed their meditations in poetry and song, and now, we, too, are called to offer our reflections and praise on this providence of God. For a long time, I used to meditate on the scene. Now I find myself reflecting on the response of Mary. How did Mary respond? Luke shows in a very beautiful and progressive way the opening up of Mary’s response to the angel.

       Mary is at first troubled by the greeting. This is lessened as the angel describes Mary as full of grace. She then proceeds to question the angel as to how this will come about. The angel answers the question with the  assurance of God’s will. In the end, Mary responds wholeheartedly to the request made by the angel. God had already begun the work in her. It was up to Mary to willingly respond to the grace at hand.

       The mystery of God becoming man is an affirmation of the angel’s message that nothing is impossible for God. Similarly, St. Paul states that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Jesus, in His conversation

with the rich man, states that nothing is impossible for God. This is what we have to get our heads around. God is God, He alone created the heavens and the earth, He alone suffices the human restlessness — He redeems, He saves and He loves. The annunciation to Mary is redemption and salvation made manifest. Mary’s response should inspire us. We, too, have been called to say yes to the will of God. For some, we are still discovering God’s will. For others, we are fulfilling it right now by our lives and vocations as religious, parent, teacher, colleague in business, etc.

       Let us respond wholeheartedly as was in the case of Mary. We may be overwhelmed with our weaknesses and inability to respond well. But at least we can make a start by saying yes to God. Know and learn that God will do the rest. Fr. Brian Steele, MGL

REFLECTION QUESTION: Where in your life is God calling you to say yes to Him? In what areas of impossibility is the light of God wanting to penetrate with its mystery of incarnation?

Lord, You know I love You. Let Your holy and perfect will be fulfilled in me. Amen.