First Reading (Isaiah 7,10-14;8,10)
Reading of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.
In those days, the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying: “Ask the Lord your God to show you a sign, whether it comes from the depths of the earth or from the heights of the heavens.” But Ahaz replied, “I will not ask, nor will I tempt the Lord.” The prophet said: “Hear then, you house of David; Could it be that you find it little to bother men and start bothering even my God? Well, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call his name Immanuel, for God is with us.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Second Reading (Hebrews 10:4-10)
Reading of the Letter to the Hebrews.
Brothers, it is impossible to eliminate sins with the blood of bulls and goats. Therefore, upon entering the world, Christ states: “You did not want sacrifice or offering, but you formed a body for me. Burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin were not to your liking. Therefore I said: Behold, I come. In the book it is written about me: I have come, O God, to do your will”. After saying, “You did not desire nor were you pleased with victims, offerings, burnt offerings, sacrifices for sin” – things offered according to the Law – he adds: “I have come to do your will.” With this, he suppresses the first sacrifice, to establish the second. It is thanks to this will that we are sanctified by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, made once and for all.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Gospel (Luke 1,26-38)
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin, promised in marriage to a man called Joseph. He was a descendant of David and the virgin’s name was Mary. The angel entered where she was and said: “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” Maria was disturbed by these words and began to think what the meaning of the greeting was. The angel then said to her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will call his name Jesus. He will be great, he will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the descendants of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.” Mary asked the angel, “How will this happen if I don’t know any man?” The angel replied: “The Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child who will be born will be called Holy, Son of God. Also Elizabeth, your relative, conceived a son in her old age. This is the sixth month for her who was considered barren, because with God nothing is impossible.” Mary then said: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word!” And the angel withdrew.
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, what a joy to be gathered today to reflect on the Holy Scriptures, which speak to us of fulfilled promises, of unshakable faith and of the greatness of divine love. Let’s start with a simple but profound image: imagine a dark night, without stars, without a moon. A moment of complete darkness. Now, imagine that suddenly a single candle is lit. Its small, faint light begins to illuminate the entire room, dispelling the shadows and revealing the details that were hidden. This is God’s promise in our lives: in the midst of darkness, He sends His light, to guide us, to show us the way.
Today, the readings before us speak precisely about the light that God sends us, about the promise of His presence and about the fulfillment of His will in our lives. They tell us about hope, choice and, most importantly, a “yes” that changes the course of history.
Let us begin with the First Reading, taken from the book of the prophet Isaiah. The historical context is one of great distress for the people of Israel. The kingdom of Judah, ruled by King Ahaz, was in great danger. The king of Israel and the king of Syria were uniting to attack Judah, and panic gripped the people. But God, in His mercy, sends a word of hope through the prophet Isaiah: “If you have faith and do not waver, you will not be established.” It is a call to trust, not to fear, to believe that, even in the face of the greatest adversity, God is in control. And this is where the famous messianic promise appears, which will be fulfilled through the virgin Mary: “Behold, the young woman will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call his name Immanuel, which means God with us.”
Here, brothers and sisters, is the essence of God’s promise to humanity: He is not distant, but is present among us. The Lord Emmanuel, who came to dwell among us in the person of Jesus Christ, reminds us that, even in moments of despair and fear, He is with us. We are not alone. The name “Immanuel” itself means this: *God with us*. When life challenges us and puts us in difficult situations, it is the certainty of His presence that strengthens us. He not only watches us from afar, but comes to walk with us, to lift us up when we fall, to comfort us when we suffer.
Now, in the Second Reading, taken from the Letter to the Hebrews, we find the perfect expression of why God sent His Son: “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” The Old Testament spoke of sacrifices, of animal offerings as atonement for sins, but these sacrifices were only a shadow of what was to come. Christ’s sacrifice, His delivery on the cross, is the only one capable of truly purifying, of reconciling human beings with God. He came, not to offer a temporary sacrifice, but to carry out the Father’s will definitively. The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that Christ, with His complete “yes” to the Father’s will, made the perfect sacrifice that redeems us, becoming the definitive sacrifice for us all.
At this point, we can reflect on what Christ’s “yes” means. He said “yes” to God’s plan, even though he knew how much suffering it would involve. He accepted to be the Lamb slain, not out of necessity, but out of love. Jesus’ sacrifice teaches us that, often, our “yes” to God can take us down challenging paths, but it also leads us to true liberation. This “yes” of Christ inaugurates a new time of grace, a new time of salvation.
Now, in Luke’s Gospel, we find Mary’s response to God’s call. The angel Gabriel is sent to a young woman from Nazareth and brings her an extraordinary message: “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you will call his name Jesus.” Mary, a simple young woman, without great power or status, is called to be the Mother of the Savior, and she responds with an unconditional “yes”, a total surrender to the divine plan: “Behold the servant of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word.”
Mary’s “yes”, brothers and sisters, is the key to the entire history of salvation. It’s not an easy “yes”, it’s not a “yes” without challenges. When Mary accepted to be the Mother of the Savior, she knew that it involved many difficulties. She would have to explain what no one would understand, live with the stigma of pregnancy outside of marriage, face poverty and life’s difficulties. But she didn’t hesitate. Mary’s “yes” is an example for all of us. By accepting God’s will for her life, she becomes the first disciple, the first Christian. Your “yes” is the answer that opens the doors to the Savior, to redemption, to the new covenant between God and humanity.
Mary’s response is also the response of faith, an absolute trust in God’s promises, without question, without reservation. When she says, “May it be done to me according to your word,” she demonstrates her trust that God knows what is best for her, that His plan is perfect, and that she can trust His wisdom. This is the model of faith that we should all seek to imitate: complete trust in the divine plan, even when we do not fully understand it.
Now, my brothers and sisters, we are invited to reflect on what Mary’s “yes” means for us today. Mary was chosen by God for a unique and extraordinary mission. But we too, in our daily lives, are called to say “yes” to God. The difference is that, while Mary was chosen to be the Mother of the Savior, we are called to be collaborators in the Kingdom of God, to live our lives according to His plan. Our every “yes” can be a response to God’s call to transform our lives and the world around us. Every small action of love, every act of forgiveness, every gesture of mercy can be a “yes” that, like Mary’s, makes a difference in history.
We are called to be light, to bring hope, to be like Mary and Christ: those who, with trust and love, respond to the divine call. May our “yes” be true and total, just like Mary’s. May we live our faith with the same confidence and courage with which she accepted to be the Lord’s servant.
Looking at Mary’s example, we can see that true greatness lies not in human achievements, but in the willingness to surrender to God’s plan, even when it requires sacrifices. Like her, we are invited to give our best to the Kingdom of God, trusting that He is with us at all times.
May this season of Advent, as we approach the celebration of Jesus’ birth, renew our “yes” to God. May the light of Christ, the light that shone in the dark night of Bethlehem, also illuminate our lives and guide us along the path of faith, hope and love. May, like Mary, we be faithful to God’s call and respond with generosity and courage, always trusting in His will.
May God bless us, strengthen us and guide us in each step of our journey. Amen.
