Revelations 11: 19a; 12:1-6a; 10ab
Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple.
A great portent appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pangs, in the agony of giving birth. Then another portent appeared in heaven: a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born. And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. But her child was snatched away and taken to God and to his throne; and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming,
“Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Messiah.”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
A Bold and Profound Yes
Usually when I listen to the story of Mary being read in the Gospels or sung through the words of the familiar songs of the Church, the image of a gentle, quiet, meek woman greets me. Even one of the messiest and arguably most physically painful moments of her existence is depicted in song as a “silent night”. But today’s first reading uses bold and dramatic imagery allowing my imagination to conjure a much different image of Mary. Here she is powerful, courageous, and strong. She is not afraid to show emotion, wailing loudly with the pain of labor while fighting to safely birth her baby under the menacing gaze of the devil himself. Imagining Mary in this way allows me to more deeply understand the profound magnitude of the yes she gives in today’s Gospel. It is more than just a meek and humble yes to God’s request. It is a bold affirmation that she is ready and willing to take up the mantle God always intended to be hers. This is the image of Mary that I need to say my own bold yeses to the plans God has for me.
—Gretchen Crowder is Campus Minister at Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas.
Prayer
Mary,
Sometimes I’m afraid I’ll be
too distracted to hear it.
Pray for me
that I may stay alert!
Sometimes I’m afraid I’ll be
too fearful to accept it.
Pray for me
that I may be brave!
Sometimes I’m afraid I’ll be
too timid to act on it.
Pray for me
that I may be bold!
Remind me of all the times
you put aside your own
distractions, fears, and timid ways
to boldly live into your unique call.
Remind me of how your life
serves as a witness to me
of the tremendous light a simple YES
can shine upon this world.
—Gretchen Crowder
Pray with the Pope
Pray with the monthly prayer intentions of the pope.