Skip to main content

Advent Reflection: Monday, December 20

12/20/2021

As Saint Louis University embraces the holiday season, students, faculty and staff members were asked to share reflections on selected readings. Today Abby Jones, Campus Ministry Immersion Program Student Leader, reflects on Gospel, Luke 1:26-38. 

Reading for Monday, Dec. 20, 2021

Gospel, Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month,
the angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”

But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.

Reflection

Abby Jones, Campus Ministry Immersion Program Student Leader
Abby Jones

The Annunciation is one of the most beautiful scripture passages of the Gospels. This year, a passage that doesn’t receive many quotations stuck out to me: “Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.”

The Angel Gabriel arrives and tells Mary she is to be the mother of the Son of God, but after speaking only three times, he departs. Mary is left alone after receiving news that permanently and immediately changed the course of her life. 

This reminds me of the past couple of years. Since March 2020, we have all been forced to spend much time alone. We are living in an uncertain and weary world. For two years we have grown more and more tired of Zoom screens and missing our friends and families. Further, we have navigated this weariness in large part on our own due to distancing. 

Mary demonstrates finding grace in such isolation and uncertainty. She places her trust in God even when she is left alone. When our sources of strength or comfort depart from us, we can look to Mary as a guide in navigating the weary and unknown with grace. 

-- Abby Jones, Campus Ministry Immersion Program Student Leader

Newslink will be running select reflections through Advent. All the reflections can be found on the Mission and Identity Facebook page.