“Faith Can Make the Impossible Possible”
4th Sunday of Advent – B
“Faith: the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” or “Believing in that which we cannot see.”
Hebrews 11:1
Not everyone believes that God sent the Son to take flesh in the womb of Mary. We cannot take our faith for granted. We also cannot minimize the chasm between belief and unbelief, the commitment entailed in “the obedience of faith.” Mary made the leap of faith which fulfilled God’s promise to David. By her obedience, the “house of David” became the family of believers united to her Son, according to God’s Divine plan. And our lives changed!
Our new translation of the Creed uses the expression “he was incarnate of the Virgin Mary” to describe what happened in today’s Gospel story.
Mary herself was truly baffled by the angel’s message. How can I conceive a child without a human father? Luke tells us that she was greatly troubled. She had every reason to be troubled, to ponder what sort of greeting she had received. Something humanly impossible was being asked of her. She might have easily responded to the angel’s explanation: “Are you kidding me right now??” But she was to learn, as we ourselves, that “nothing is impossible for God!”
The difference between Mary and we, or at least most humans, is that she responded with “the obedience of faith.” Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” What 14- or 15-year-old do you know that would respond to such an impossible feat?
We know that Mary was “full of grace,” but that grace did not destroy her reason or her freedom. When she commented to the anger’s invitation, she was making a leap of faith. She was not forced to consent. She did it freely!
Take this thought for example: Where would we be without Mary’s act of faith? The Incarnation of the Son of God was only possible because of Mary’s “fiat” – her “yes” to God. And because the Word became flesh, and later suffered, died, and rose from the dead, all human experience has been transformed. Even suffering and death have meaning. But finding that meaning requires faith. If we can imitate Mary’s faith, and believe in her Son who is true God and true Man, we will be able to find that meaning, even amid trial and suffering, even during this pandemic. But it does not come easily. We too will question just as Mary did. The opinion of our increasingly secular culture will warn us that we are deluded and foolish. When confronted with our own suffering and death, or that of those we love, or the tremendous evil at large in the world, common sense will tell us one thing. Faith will tell us something else. Which one will be believe?
The incarnate Son of God is about to become present in the signs of bread and wine on this table. We proclaim this mystery of faith; we believe that the change happens before our very eyes and it becomes the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. And we ask him to nourish our faith and keep it always strong.
God bless us and all who live in longing expectation of our Emanuel – God with us!