In reading the Responsorial Psalm today I was intrigued by the following line -  “For he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.”  The phrase “founded upon the seas and established upon the rivers” made me stop and think…

The word founded was described in the dictionary as “to take the first steps” and the word established “to fix firmly.”  As a member of the larger community ( the sea) my parents, in my baptism, founded for me my faith, but then I, as an individual ( the river) am called upon to “fix firmly” my own faith life.  This line speaks to me today regarding my calling to be with others as they “find” faith and then to continue to grow in affirming our faith in the Lord.

The Gospel by Luke, an account of the Annunciation, made me remember a program I watched on Dateline recently.  The story was about a couple’s desire to have a child and their decision to go through a pregnancy knowing that their child would be born with a disability.  In the program the mother reflects upon a homily in which a priest said, “God does provide miracles, but it may not be the miracle you prayed for.”  So so true…..

I thought about Mary, and as a young Jewish woman, she probably dreamed about becoming a mother some day.  What a shock Gabriel’s message must have been to her.  I think Luke expresses it mildly when he says, “she was greatly troubled.”

The messages in the readings are a reminder to me of the greatness and the goodness of the Lord.  How blessed I have been to have received the gift of faith.  To have my faith to give me strength in times of doubt, to give me peace in times of uncertainty and to have faith, knowing that God’s plans are greater and better than my own plans.

If I continue to be with the Lord in my daily river of prayer I will be with the sea of people.  God continues to provide for me the Good News in my daily life.

Peace and faith be with you as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, our God and our Redeemer.