Thursday, December 21, 2006

Mental Prayer for December 22, The Incarnation

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: Help me to understand the tremen­dous fact of God becoming man.

Mental Picture (cf. Luke 1:28-38): The sun breaks the eastern horizon with radiant gold and warms the hills of Nazareth... a quiet country village. In a little stone house... a young girl quietly thinking over a passage from the Scriptures. The Court of Heaven, brilliant with the power of the Almighty... God, all Holy... Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father speaks: "Gabriel"­ - Archangel, one of the seven who stand before the face of God - "Gabriel, go; now is the time to ask the maiden!"

As swift as thought he speeds, the messenger of our salvation. "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee." The little maid turns in wonder at the words. "Fear not... thou shalt conceive and He that is born of thee shall be called Jesus, the Son of the Most High." At the moment when all creation is waiting for her answer, she quietly bows her head and says: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to thy word." And the Holy Spirit overshadows her. It is the moment of the Incarnation... the Son of God is made man.

My Personal Application: What should I be... what could I hope for... to what could I look for­ward... if God had not - but God did. God did become man to open heaven for me.

I Speak to God: My God, I fall on my knees in wonder. You have become man, you have come to suffer, to die - for me. Teach me to wonder­ - teach me to thank you - teach me to love you.

Thought for Today: "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us."
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Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)

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