'Do not be afraid Mary you have found favour with God'. I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.’ Then the angel left her. Luke 1: 37-38
Richard Rohr says, in his meditations for advent, ‘the word of God confronts, converts and consoles us – in that order’.
Mary was certainly confronted and I can only just begin to imagine how disturbing this intrusion was. Then Mary was converted … ‘I am the Lord’s servant, may to be to me according to your word’.
Only then did the sense of God’s presence overwhelm her and Mary bursts forth on praise. Still plenty of uncertainty, plenty of reasons to not be at peace, but the reassuring presence of God cast out any fear.
The problem is we want consolation now, but the way to it is through confrontation, which means acknowledging it’s not my way, which is best.
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