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SOMETHING TO THINK AND PRAY ABOUT THIS WEEK
A Huge Leap of Faith
We are so familiar with the story of the Annunciation that it can be easy to take Mary’s faith for granted. It’s easy to forget that Gabriel’s message opened up a vast new horizon for Mary. He didn’t give Mary any human guarantees; he didn’t offer her a familiar or secure way forward. He took her completely out of her comfort zone. Everything about this singular episode demanded a huge leap of faith: it was already hard enough to accept that an angel was speaking to her; it was even more difficult to believe that a virgin could conceive, but who could imagine that any woman could possibly become God’s own mother! Gabriel was painting a picture that bordered on the preposterous. Mary didn’t stop to think about the sheer unlikelihood of what was being announced. If she had, she would most likely have refused to believe. Mary’s focus was on God. She believed enough in God’s power and love to accept the message that Gabriel communicated to her. She plunged wholeheartedly into the limitless ocean of God as she said: ‘Behold the servant of the Lord, let it be done unto me according to your word’ (Luke 1:38).
Thomas Casey SJ, Smile of Joy: Mary of Nazareth
We remember at this time...
St. Patrick lived a hard life after being kidnapped from his home and living as a slave in Ireland. Patrick cried out to a God he didn’t yet know, but God knew him, just as he knows each one of us. God found Patrick looking after sheep on a mountain in the remotest corner of the island of Ireland.
Let us cry out to God now in our deepest need or fear, knowing and believing that he will answer us.
We also ask that he hear our cry for peace on earth, and we echo the call of Pope Leo XIV for peace among the leaders of the world. Bless and protect all the innocent who are being killed or injured in these wars, and bring comfort to those who are suffering. Amen.
Sacred Space – Daily Prayer for 25 Years
Sacred Space began in 1999 and has offered new content every day since then. You can learn more about Sacred Space on our About page, or if you are a regular, you can share your Sacred Space Story on our Feedback page. For our 25th anniversary, we are featuring stories from people for whom Sacred Space has played a special part in their lives. Please consider sharing your Sacred Space Story.
Sacred Space Feedback