SUNDAY 20 DECEMBER 2020
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

MARY, THE ARK OF GOD’S COVENANT (GOSPEL – ST LUKE 1:26-38)

Mary, our blessed Mother, is the focus of the Gospel on this fourth Sunday of Advent, when we hear St Luke’s account of the Annunciation. God, through the angel Gabriel, gradually revealed to Mary, a humble young woman, her extraordinary mission in life, a unique role in God’s plan for salvation as the mother of Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah. We are told that the angel’s opening words to Mary were, “Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.” ‘The Lord is with you’ is an expression used in the Bible to greet those God has called to play a crucial role in His plan of salvation. Each time we attend Mass, the priest says to the congregation in the opening words of the Mass, “The Lord be with you”. This highlights for us, as children of God, that each of us is called to a unique mission in building His kingdom. Mary is a model for us in faith: despite the enormity of God’s plan for her, she was unwavering in her trust in and acceptance of His will for her. Mary, Ark of the Covenant, pray for us.