The Birthplace of John the Baptist

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We are at the Birthplace of St. John the Baptist in the village of Ein Karem. The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, the 2nd Joyful mystery also took place in this same village.

ONE

Did you know there were two Annunciations?

The Angel Gabriel came first to Zechariah in the Temple to reveal God’s will, that he is to have a son and name him John, even though he and Elizabeth are very old; Zechariah, however, does not believe. Next, Gabriel came to Mary in Nazareth to reveal God’s will for her, that she also will have a son and name him Jesus, even though she is to remain a virgin; and she believes. Why does Mary believe, and Zechariah does not? 

Zechariah responded to the angel by saying; “How can I be sure of this?” (Zechariah wants proof). The angel replied, “I am Gabriel who stands in God’s presence, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. Listen! Since you have not believed my words, which will come true at their appointed time, you will be silenced and have no power of speech until this has happened.”

Zechariah does not respond with faith because he does not have the habit of listening to God in silent prayer.  

To remedy this problem, Gabriel strikes him not only speechless, but St. Ambrose tells us Zechariah was also made deaf for the next 9 months, to give him the silence he needs to get familiar with God’s voice so that he can hear, believe, and do the will of God.

Silence and listening to the Word of God are the necessary requirements to faith, to knowing and doing the will of God.

TWO

At the Annunciation Mary does not ask “How can I be sure of this?” She doesn’t need proof. She believes God because He said it through the Angel. Mary simply asks how this will happen, since she is a consecrated virgin? And she gets an answer “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the Power of the Most-High will overshadow you.”

Unlike Zechariah, Mary has the daily habit of silent reflection on the Word of God. Twice we are told in the Gospel of Luke 2:19 and 51 that “Mary pondered all these things in her heart.”

Mary spent time in silence, reading and thinking about the Word of God which makes her familiar with God’s voice, ready to hear, ready to believe and to do what God asks of her.

It allowed her to be all in, saying “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to your will.”

THREE

Mother Teresa once said; “It can be difficult to pray when we don’t know how, but we can help ourselves through the use of silence. Souls of prayer are souls of great silence. This silence takes a lot of sacrifice, but if we really want to pray, we must be ready to take that step now. Without this first step toward silence, we will not be able to reach our goal, which is union with God.”

We forget that in the silence of the heart God speaks, and from the fullness of the heart we speak. Only when we have heard Him in the silence of our hearts, only when we have learned to listen to God in the silence of our hearts, only then can we say: I pray. There is no either/or about prayer and love. We can’t say we have either prayer or love: There is no prayer without love and no love without prayer.

The fruit of silence is prayer.

The fruit of prayer is faith.

The fruit of faith is love.

The fruit of love is service.

The fruit of service is peace.

According to Mother Teresa, peace, service, love, faith and prayer all find their origin in silence. But silence may be the hardest thing to find in our world which is kind of funny because silence is always there, just like God is always there, in fact, God is within you.

So, what is keeping us from silence and a deeper friendship with God who dwells in your heart?

FOUR

When the Angel Gabriel presents God’s plan to Mary she responds with; “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to God’s will.”

Mary put no limits on God. With her yes, she gave God unconditional permission to do whatever He thought best for her.

And because she gave everything to God, she received Everything in return – She received God, dwelling in her soul and in her womb.

I am not like Mary. I put limits on what I will allow God to do in my life. I think we are all a little afraid to give ourselves to God unconditionally, afraid of what He might ask of us or do in our life.

Are you a little afraid of God?

FIVE

Mary can help us overcome our fear of surrendering to God if we welcome her into the home of our soul.

This is what St. John Paul II did in a prayer he wrote entitled “Totus Tuus” I am totally yours:

“Immaculate Conception, Mary my Mother

Live in me, Act in me, Speak in me and through me,

Think your thoughts in my mind, Love through my heart.

Give me your dispositions and feelings.

Teach me, lead me and guide me to Jesus.

Correct, enlighten and expand my thoughts and behavior.

Possess my soul. Take over my entire personality and life. Replace it with yourself. Incline me to constant adoration.

Pray in me and through me. Let me live in you and keep me in this union always. Amen”