Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Luke 1: 26-38
December  8, 2025 | Monday

Today’s Gospel

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God, to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to a virgin, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean. But the angel said, “Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear a son; and you shall call him Jesus. He will be great, and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the kingdom of David, his ancestor; he will rule over the people of Jacob forever; and his reign shall

have no end.”

Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the holy child to be born of you shall be called Son of God. Even your relative, Elizabeth, is expecting a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child; and she is now in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible.” Then Mary said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said.” And the angel left her.

Today’s Reflection

The first reading recounts the man and woman’s failure to take responsibility for failing to follow the Lord’s instruction not to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree. Instead of admitting their mistake, they blamed each other and the serpent. Of course, the shift of blame did not prevent the negative consequences of their actions. They were both punished and eventually expelled from Eden, showing that avoiding responsibility does not eliminate repercussions.

This story offers profound insights into the consequences of avoiding responsibility. When we blame others or the circumstances for our failures, we shall not address the root cause, resulting in repeated mistakes, increased stress and anxiety, and broken relationships. It goes without saying that once we assume responsibility for our mistakes, we can learn from them and become better at tackling similar situations or tasks.

Let us draw inspiration from Mary’s unwavering faith in the Gospel passage. Mary was not called to account for her mistake but to bear Jesus, the Son of God. Despite her initial fear and confusion, her resolute response, “I am the handmaid of the Lord…,” demonstrates her readiness to shoulder the responsibility entrusted to her by God. Her acceptance of the Lord’s calling led to much suffering, yet she fulfilled her duty as the Lord’s first disciple, his most faithful partner in bringing about the reign of God. We, too, are called to be God’s partners in spreading the Gospel. Guided by our Mother Mary, let us respond with a resounding“yes” when the Lord calls us to a specific mission.

/Vulnerasti, 2025