This morning was the final gathering of the four-session Fall scripture study/prayer I offered at Our Lady or Lourdes in Minneapolis, titled from Creation to Annunciation. The series emphasized our need to pray with – and not just study – scripture, with a focus on what the passages we considered teach us about our response to God.
Today’s session focused on Annunciations and Responses to God’s Invitation. My talk centered around three figures who have roles leading up to the birth of Christ: Joseph, Mary and Elizabeth. We also talked about the fact that God always invites our participation, never forcing our response. We had a rich discussion about what we learn from these three – particularly Mary and Joseph – about our role in the Incarnation.
As we continue to reflect on the Advent readings, I encouraged participants to spend some time reflecting on the following questions:
Do I say “yes” to God in the small, everyday situations of my life?
Where are the places I have difficulty saying yes to God?
When the yes is hard, do I ask God for the grace to respond to his call?
You can access a recording of the my talk here or stream it from the icon below. (The podcast runs for 53:14. Parts may be faint, as there was a lot of participation by those present.)
Creo en Dios! 