25 Steps with Mary: From Nazareth to Bethlehem-Day 1

“Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.” Luke 1:28

Today should have been a regular day. It was anything but.

I woke up earlier than usual because I wanted to start baking the bread before sunrise. The first thing I did, just like every other morning, was to read a passage from the Torah and recite my prayers to God. Afterwards, I went quietly into the kitchen, and began the process of preparing the dough using flour, water, yeast, salt, and a tiny bit of honey. I kneaded the dough, and then divided it into small balls. Every time I do this, it reminds me of my mother, Anna. Oh, how I miss her. It’s been two years since she went to heaven, but not a day goes by that I don’t think of her.

While the dough was rising, I went outside to the tannur (1) to lit a fire using straw and pine cones. Spring is already in the air. Even though it was still a cool morning, the harshness of winter is behind us. I can already see the trees with flowers, which will soon bear fruit. I spotted a couple of butterflies. They always make me so happy.

Once the tannur was hot enough, I flattened the balls of dough into small loaves, and I slapped them onto the inside walls of the tannur. The loaves only needed a few minutes to bake so I stayed outside watching them. Once the bread was ready, I removed the loaves carefully from the oven, and I went back inside. When my blessed parents passed away, I inherited their modest possessions and our humble cottage in Nazareth. My aunt and uncle look after me until I move into Joseph’s house, my betrothed.

I put the bread aside, and I sat by the window to rest for a few minutes. I must have dozed off, and was woken up by a bright light. When I opened my eyes, a very large figure was standing before me. His appearance was that of a most handsome youth of rarest beauty; his face emitted resplendent rays of light, and it was so brilliant, that I had to cover my eyes because he was blinding me. He wore a diadem of exquisite splendor and his vestments glowed in various colors full of refulgent beauty.

I thought that I was dreaming, but then I heard his voice. “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” I was very perplexed at this statement, and I kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. All of a sudden, I realized that I was in the presence of an angel. He said to me, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And 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 the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” I said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered and said to me, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. For nothing will be impossible with God.” I heard myself say, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from me. (2)

The rest of the day is a blur. I could not wait to be done with my chores so I could go to my room to ponder what the angel’s visit could possibly mean.

I am now in my room, writing on my journal, and I am still at a loss. I guess I could have answered “no.” I was not forced to accept what the angel was telling me. I was free to choose. Just like Adam and Eve, my first parents, chose to reject God, I could have done the same. But somehow, I know, that God has been preparing me for this moment since my birth. How could I say “no?” How could I deny my God anything that He asks of me? I touch my stomach and even though I don’t feel anything, I know that I am with child. The Word of God has been conceived in me. Divine Life beats within me.

What am I going to do, Lord? How am I going to explain this to Joseph? How is he going to believe me?

I trust You, Lord. If You have chosen me for this mission, You will guide me through the steps that I must take. Nothing is impossible for You, Lord. I am your bondslave, Lord. May your will be done to me.

I have abandoned myself completely to God’s will, and I feel a freedom that I have never felt before.

Reflection:

What is God asking of me during this Advent? Is He asking me to get out of my comfort zone? Will I let Him guide me? Will I trust Him? Nothing is impossible if I trust God and I abandon myself completely to do His will.

Copyright © 2019 Christy Romero. All rights reserved.

References:

1. Tannur-a beehive-shaped clay oven, usually used to bake bread (Exodus 8:3; Leviticus 2:4, 7:9; 11:35; 26:26; Hosea 7:4, 6–7).
2. Luke 1:28-38