I thought I would share some bullet points I had from a presentation I made a while back – just some thoughts and questions that I think might be worth reflecting on…
The Annunciation – the encounter between Mary and Gabriel
We don’t know what Mary was doing at that moment but, it is implied that she was quiet, probably not sweeping the floors or scrubbing the bathroom….she was quiet enough to hear the whisper of the messenger…
- Do we take enough quiet time in the day so that if God were to softly ask something of us, we would hear and listen? TV on when you wake up? Radio on in the car? Cell phone ringing all day? A bit of an aside: one thing I noticed when in Florence a couple of years ago was that I could not purchase a coffee-to-go. All coffee was sold in mugs and meant to be enjoyed in the little cafes – hmmmm, something to think about multi-taskers
- Have you heard the invitation in your own life? When was the first time? Did you feel his soft gentle tugging when you were a child? Or, did you have a sudden ‘aha’ moment? Or have you simply been walking together for as long as you can remember? When was it that God asked you to give birth to Jesus?
- Mary’s response was, ‘How can this be….’ What is your response? How can this be, God would never choose me? I could never do that? Or, this is too much…
- Mary surrendered…dangerous words: ‘let it be done according to God’s will’. I much prefer, ‘let it be done according to my will’. Surrender – passive or active?
to be continued
Reflections on the Journey 
That’s a big word! ;o)
hmmm
something to think on.
Yes I hear His whispers, oh how I love them!
Yes it is amazing that I still can hear Him whisper amongst the busyness of life!
Maybe He has more to say and I miss more than I realise?
Maybe I need to stop and ask Him if I have missed anything?
Blessings Sista!
xo
Kaz
Don’t know if you’re missing any Kaz, but I sure know from your writings that you hear most of them!!!
Oh Thankyou n Bless You :O)
I love the idea of lingering with coffee in the Florence cafes. What a message that is, to live in the moment, to absorb and observe all the beauty around us … If we’re nonstop on-the-go, life seems to pass us by, in a sense.
Merry Christmas Andie, I’m glad you’re feeling better, and am sending best wishes for the New Year too!
Merry Christmas Joanne, thanks for the well wishes. Hope you have some ‘live in the moment’ time this Christmas.
Surrender – both passive and active. It is the space in between, I think. It is like the “active waiting” of Advent.
As for Florence and elsewhere in Europe, where they have not surrendered to the “to-go” custom, we have much to learn from that. I remember flying from NYC (where I am from) to San Francisco in 1980. I was sitting next to a man who was from SF and had visited NYC for the first time. He overall enjoyed it but was aghast that people ate pizza and hot dogs as they walked down the street. I was 23 and the concept of savoring had not yet permeated my brain or soul.
That is what the annunciation is about in some ways – surrendering as to savor and then to hear and thus to respond.
Christmas peace to you!
Active waiting – I really like that. Yes, I think at 23 we probably think it’s wasted time….but, oh, the wisdom of age!
Quite good questions to reflect on.
Thanks Richard, will catch up on your blog really soon.
I find it interesting, Andie, that you do not imagine Mary sweeping the floor or scrubbing the bathroom when Gabriel came to her. I write this because I usually pray when I do housework. I often felt Godde’s presence when I am on my knees weeding in the garden…
I remember silence irrupting in my mind one day when suddenly I had exhausted all my thoughts on the subject. My mind stopped and then the intuition.
I also believe in ‘annunciations.’ Who knows when it deserves a small a or a capital A?
Thank you for a lovely post, with lovely questions that lead to deeper thoughts 🙂
Merry Christmas,
claire
Wonderful thoughts, Claire. Knowing what we do of Mary, you are right, she was probably serving/helping someone else. Godde meets us wherever we are and thankfully, never gives up!
Wow! You really made me think about surrender! I think it’s an action of our wills, but He does the consecrating, the cleansing. We say (action word), “Here I am, Lord” then He comes as Lord into our hearts and lives. I also believe that we then actively pursue His will and purpose for our lives. Even the word “abiding” requires that we place ourselves close to Him – even as we wait – so that He can work in our lives. Does any of this make sense?!
Merry Christmas!!!
It makes perfect sense Glenda and it is true. It’s a relationship and with any relationship there is talk/silence, persuing/resting/, push/pull, running toward and running away from (and then running back…)
So glad you are over the flu, Andie — blahhh!
I love your post here today — so much to think about, especially your point that Mary was not bustling about in a flurry of activity when she heard the call from God. Very good point.
My “calling” came slowly and subtly — late in life…just 3 or so years ago. I’d been an unbeliever for quite some time. God nudged me — I found myself asking a simple question: “Why not?” As in “Why can’t God exist? Why not?” It was a complete turning around of my thinking, and it was the start (slow start) of something big.
God is good — I am so glad I listened!
Joy to you and yours this Christmas. So glad we have met online!
Isn’t it amazing Michelle how he never gives up? He is the Seeker, always seeking and he meets each of us wherever we are because he knows us so intimately. Have a very blessed Christmas
I love these thoughts, Andie. And they challenge me, especially this time of year when multi-tasking is the rule. One of the things I enjoy while out running is quieting my mind, talking with God about what comes up. I never need an ipod or anything. He runs along with me. But it’s been too cold to run outside!! So, what do I do? Turn on the tv to help me get through the boring elliptical hour. I think you’ve just clued me in to something very valuable I need to work on.
Merry Christmas, my friend. I am so grateful our Good Lord has brought us together in this year.
I’m glad too Laura. Isn’t it wonderful that we can just talk about anything to God and that we know that he listens because he loves us so? I find great comfort in that.
Great thoughts Andie. I love those quiet times when I can really hear His voice. Thanks for the challenge to be an even more active listener.
Have a great Christmas!
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas as well Bernadine. Yes, sometimes he shouts and sometimes he whispers but he is always there.
Andie, just wanted to tell you of a poem by Denise Levertov, Annunciation, that says so much what we have been talking about.
http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot/levertov.htm#_Toc23572792