Lk.1:26-38
There wasn’t any common Christmas gathering this time in our theologate due to the COVID protocol. Instead, we were asked to put up a Christmas programme batch-wise during the interval time. This performance lasted more than a week. Melodious Christmas carols and rhythmic dances awakened a joy-filled Christmas spirit in us which was watered down by the pandemic. As a batch, we put-up a Christmas carol. It was the famous carol titled: “The Drummer Boy.” Though I have heard it before, I paid attention to the story of the drummer boy for the first time. The story is so simple and it can be narrated in a few sentences. However, its insightful message can renew our Christmas celebrations always. The story goes thus: The drummer boy came across magi who were going to visit the newborn king with their precious gifts. After having heard this happy news, the drummer boy wanted to pay his homage to the newborn king. But he was extremely poor. He did not have any gifts to offer other than his talent for playing the drum for the newborn. He gathered all his courage and confidence and went to meet him in the manger. He requested his desire to pay homage to the newborn by playing his drum. Mary welcomed his request and he played his best performance for the king. In the end, the newborn king smiled at him…
The season of Christmas brings before us certain role models who gave their best for the Child Jesus. Their self-offering played a vital role in this event and it inspires all of us. They were ordinary people, but their offerings were extraordinary. Situations that they encountered were hard, yet hoping against all hope, they trusted in the Lord and on His providence. The gospel passage of the day presents to us the first person among these exemplary role models who gave her best for the Lord. It is none other than Blessed Virgin Mary. She offered her entire being for the Lord especially her willingness to surrender herself fully to the will of God and her unparallel faith.
In this annunciation account, we come across the height and the depth of her faith. The angel Gabriel addresses her as ‘Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.’ No other human beings received such greetings of honour from a divine being. This privilege of receiving the Good News itself, testify to the greatness of her faith. At the same time, it was not blind faith. She knew the mission that she was going to accomplish was challenging. She had to conceive the Son of God extraordinarily and give him birth.
In the first part of the annunciation, the angel Gabriel does not reveal the fact that how this mystery is going to realize? She asks for further explanations. Then the angel Gabriel did not say that he would reveal this mission to Joseph who is her would-be husband so that he would accept her and assist her in this mission of caring and nurturing the universal saviour. Instead, angel Gabriel reveals to Mary the identity and the mission of the one whom she is going to carry. The angel also shares with her the marvelous deeds the Lord has done in her Cousin Elizabeth’s life. A woman of very senior age, considered as barren, conceived in her old age. Both Zechariah and Elizabeth crossed the age limit of normal fertility. At times we may tend to think that since the angel Gabriel revealed this miracle, Mary believed and gave her consent. Anyhow, we never see, Mary telling angel Gabriel that let me go and see Elizabeth; if it is true, I would give my consent. Instead, she offers herself to the will of God. Even if the angel did not reveal to Mary the Good News about Elizabeth, Mary would give her consent because she knew that nothing is impossible with God.
The Old Eve failed to recognize God in her life and disobeyed God’s will. However, the new Eve says ‘yes’ to God’s will and through her self-offering becomes a blessing for the entire cosmos. She becomes the living tabernacle who brings the saviour to humanity. As we intensify our preparations to receive Jesus into our hearts, let us think about the self-offering of our blessed mother that manifested in her unparallel faith and willingness to surrender herself to the will of God. As we prepare ourselves for the celebration of Christmas, let us offer our whole self by discerning God’s will in our lives and respond to Jesus like our Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, Magi, Shepherds, and the little drummer boy…