Solemnity of the Annunciation, March 26, 2007
(Luke 1)
A novel describes how a young monk received his vocation by literally a star falling from heaven. Observing the sky one evening, a boy sees a shooting star land near his home. He is what we might call “a good boy” but really not distinguished from others. When the lad investigates, he finds the fallen meteor. Thinking over the incident, he believes that God has sent him a personal message. Not too many years later, he joins the Cistercian monastery outside Alberta.
Luke’s gospel today tells a similar story. Mary has a religious experience. She is a devout girl although the extent of her sanctity is perhaps not evident. Much like a shooting star, an angel of God tells her of her special vocation. She is to be the mother of Jesus Christ. Mary also becomes her son’s leading disciple. No one listens to God’s word and puts it into practice as faithfully as she.
We have all probably had an experience we would call religious. Maybe it was a dream or a conversation with a special person. We probably don’t consider ourselves better than any other person. Yet God seems to have shown us His special favor. Like Mary and like that monk in Alberta, let us not hesitate to follow Him.
