ዛቲ ይእቲ

9 ነሓሰ 2019 · 2027-08-15

The Letter to the Hebrews presents Abraham and Sarah as people who lived by faith. Abraham obeyed God and departed without knowing exactly where he was going. He lived as a stranger and pilgrim because he looked forward to the city whose architect and builder is God. Sarah also received strength to participate in God’s promise because she trusted the One who had spoken. Abraham and Sarah acknowledged that they were strangers on earth and desired a better homeland—a heavenly one prepared by God. The Blessed Virgin Mary stands in this same history of faith. Like Abraham, she received a divine call that changed the direction of her life. She did not receive every explanation, but she entrusted herself to God’s promise. Saint John teaches that Christians must walk in both truth and love. Love is not separated from God’s commandments, and truth cannot be separated from the confession that Jesus Christ truly came in the flesh. This teaching is especially important during Filseta. Devotion to Mary must remain centred upon the truth of the Incarnation. She is honoured because the eternal Son truly received human flesh through her and entered the world for our salvation. In Acts, Paul and the passengers experience shipwreck. The ship is destroyed, but God preserves every life, just as He promised. Some reach the shore by swimming, while others hold onto pieces of the broken ship. This passage shows that faith does not guarantee an easy journey. Sometimes the ship we trusted may be lost, but God’s promise remains secure. He can carry His people safely through situations that appear completely broken. In the Gospel, the angel explains that the Holy Spirit will come upon Mary and that the power of the Most High will overshadow her. The child born from her will be holy and will be called the Son of God. Mary then visits Elizabeth. Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, recognises the mystery unfolding before her and proclaims: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” She also identifies the deepest foundation of Mary’s blessedness: “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” Mary’s greatness is revealed through her faith. She receives God’s Word, places her life at His service, carries Christ within her, and brings Him to others. The Christian life is also a pilgrimage. We may encounter uncertainty, displacement, storms, or apparent shipwreck. Yet we continue toward the heavenly homeland by believing God’s promises, walking in truth and love, and carrying Christ into the lives of others. The Church honours Mary not only by praising her name, but by following her example: hearing God’s Word, believing it, obeying it, and remaining faithful until the journey reaches its heavenly destination.