HE+ Was PROCLAIMED #3 ... By an EMPTYING of Self... Advent Meditations 2015 for the Monastic-At-Heart

Luke 1:26-27, Greek

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel 

was sent from GOD 

unto a city of Galilee, 

named Nazareth,

To a virgin being espoused to a man 

whose name was Joseph, 

from the house of David; 

and the virgin’s name was 

Mariam.

Luke 1:35-38 , Greek

And the angel answered 

and said unto her,

The HOLY SPIRIT shall come 

upon thee,

and the power of the Highest 

shall overshadow thee:

therefore also the ONE+ 

being born of you HOLY

 shall be called the SON+ of GOD.

And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth,

she hath also conceived 

a son in her old age:

 and this is the sixth month

 with her, who was called sterile.

For with GOD nothing 

shall be impossible.

And Mariam said,

Behold the handmaid of the LORD;

be it unto me according to thy word.

And the angel departed from her.

Could young Mariam have refused to carry The Hebrew MESSIAH+ ?

Yes.

Mariam was not divine; she was simply Adamic, of the human line of David. She had as much free-will to obey or disobey the Word of the LORD to her as we do. 

At that moment in time, she yielded her entire being to GOD. Her life was instantly changed, and that, for all time.

Her purpose in life was instantly re-directed, instantly re-routed, with no going back.

We all know that Mother-Hood does indeed change a person. Now there is a tiny human being who is totally helpless except for the help Mother gives him. He is totally vulnerable except for the protection of Mother.

But, Mariam's change was greater.

She emptied her life 

in an instant.

Being well-trained in the Commandments of GOD, she knew her life --- as she had hopefully planned it --- was over. Hebrew girls were stoned to death if they were with child without a husband.

This particular young Hebrew virgin accepted GOD'S Will for her life,  turning her care and well-being over to GOD.  Her heart was in accord with Job's words: Even though HE slay me, yet will I trust HIM , Job 13:15a.

If GOD asked great things of her, could she not trust HIM to take care of her through it all ?

Likewise, if The LORD asks an obedience of us, are we willing to empty our lives for HIM+ ?

It is a sure thing that GOD will not share the throne with Self.

How do we come to such a state, where the LORD will ask us to empty our lives for HIM+ ?

We practice.

We practice individually, within the secret place of our hearts.

We practice daily and hourly, if need be.

We practice 

EMPTYING ourselves 

for HIM+.

  

We shun all leadings of Self to aggrandize itself. Rather, we turn to The LORD in humility, asking His+ help to forsake our natural Self-interest.

We practice by training ourselves to STOP OUR DAY in order to worship HIM+ throughout... be it 5 minutes on the hour or some other similar discipline.

We practice yielding 

to His+ Will

… in every SMALL matter, 

through the day.

That is how we monastic-at-heart train ourselves and practice obedience.

Little is written about Mariam's growing-up years or training. Little is written about her adult years that would warrant adulation.

Aside from her carrying The Divine Babe+ in her virgin womb, Sister Mariam's greatest gift to mankind is her example of yielded, total obedience to the Word of GOD, the WORD+ made flesh Who+ dwelt among us.

Let us Pray:

O Life-Giving LORD JESUS, I empty my life out for THEE+.

Fill me with Thy+ Blessed SPIRIT, so that I may learn to please THEE+ in every small matter, that I may be closer to THEE+. Prune away the warped areas, O LORD, and train me to go in the way THOU+ dost will.   

Here is my empty Self; take it for Thy+ good pleasure, O LORD JESUS.

I thank THEE+, O CHRIST, for even wanting me. I join myself  to THEE+ in love.

Holy, Holy, Holy 

LORD GOD ALMIGHTY

WHO+ is, 

WHO+ was, 

and WHO+ is to come.

Maranatha. 

Come, LORD JESUS.  

Amen 

Advent Meditations

Mary, did you know.... ?  

ADVENT MEDITATIONS 2012

~ ~ ~ The All-Encompassing GOD ~ ~ ~

Luke 1:26-55

Meditation 8

34 Then said Mariam unto the angel,
How shall this be,
seeing I know not a man?

Poor Girl! She had been with no man carnally... yet she was expected to believe that she would become with child... and bear the scorn and rejection designated for the impure.

Bitterness and grief --- at least socially and perhaps even within the immediate family circle --- was to be young Mariam's bitter portion.  She knew she was innocent, but  even  her betrothed, Joseph, her closest friend, thought she had played the harlot.

Poor, sad, lonely girl with not a friend in the world!

Meditation

O GOD of all mercies, Who+ looketh upon Thy+ children with compassion for their infirmities and weaknesses, help me to do the same.

More love to THEE+ , O CHRIST, is my need today. Then, when I love THEE+  more, I will have more love towards those enslaved by weaknesses, bitterness, grief and fear.

O HOLY CHILD JESUS, I thank THEE+ for embracing the souls of men who are filled with weakness, bitterness, grief, and fear...  just like me.  For, all those --- any of those --- who come to THEE+, O SAVIOR of mankind, THOU+ wilt not turn away.

+  +  +

Advent Meditations 2012

Whom are they seeking?

ADVENT MEDITATIONS 2012

~ ~ ~ The All-Encompassing GOD ~ ~ ~

Luke 1:26-55

Meditation 3

28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

The Hebrew virgin Mariam ~ Bitterness and Grief ~ was visited by the Angel Gabriel, a mighty warrior angel.  Mariam was peculiarly greeted as an honored person.

Not even Daniel was greeted like this when Gabriel visited him, twice! Neither was Zachariah so greeted.

Indeed, this was VERY strange that a simple, "rustic" Galilean young virgin would be addressed so honorably.

"Hail" is used in place of an honorable greeting like, "Cheer!"  or "Health!" or "Be Well!" 

Good news it is indeed when a great and mighty warrior who stands in the Presence of GOD  ( Luke 1:19) greets a little human being like that ! 

It is the ONLY place in Scripture that an Angel so addresses a human being in those terms. The young Hebrew virgin Mariam had HIS divine approval ! 

Meditation:

O GOD Who is the LORD of the most powerful, most divine armies in the Universe, be pleased to look upon this little human being... me.

Gracious ONE Who sent forth Thy mighty Angel to little Mariam, send, I beseech THEE, Thy ministering spirit to encamp round about little me, also.

Return to me an innocent trust, a pure faith,  like Thy chosen Hebrew virgin had, which won Thy approval to bear the CHRIST CHILD...  that approval which was so strongly placed upon this young Hebrew virgin that even the Angels knew it.

Help me with purity, O LORD. Purity of thought, purity of motive, purity of love.

With thankfulness unending, for receiving me, O LORD, I pray this in the Name of JESUS, Thy HOLY SON+, Our LORD.

+  +  + 

ADVENT MEDITATIONS 2012



Wise men seek HIM+...



ADVENT MEDITATIONS 2012

~ ~ ~ The All-Encompassing GOD ~ ~ ~

Luke 1:26-55

Meditation 2



²⁷ To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

David, in Hebrew, means "beloved."  Mary, however, is really "Mariam" --- which has its Hebrew root in bitterness and grief.   Some say "strength." Joseph's name means "add."  Strange, yes?

The birth-mother of Our LORD carried the identity of Bitter Grief while she carried the HOLY CHILD JESUS in her womb.

Even though Mariam was of the house and lineage of David, the beloved, The LORD appointed to this Hebrew virgin a name which would encompass strong bitterness and grief, as the Prophet Simeon told her in the Temple after the CHRIST CHILD was born.

The LORD graciously "added" a protection to this Hebrew virgin, appointing Joseph as a GOWRA (from the Aramaic text which means "a male guardian"), to protect Mariam and the Holy Child JESUS Whom+ she carried under her heart, in her womb.

Marrying "Bitterness and Grief" was Joseph's Appointed Cup...  as he became The LORD'S Appointed guardian over his little, divine family.

MEDITATION:

O GOD, Who+ encircles those suffering in bitter grief in Thy+ tender, Nail-Scarred Hands... take the bitterness and grief of my soul's regrets unto THEE+.

And when my cup is Bitter again, send forth unto me a spirit of gentle submission... like the submissive spirit of gentle Mariam... even in the midst of the Cup of Grief THOU+ hast chosen for me.

I thank THEE, O HOLY FATHER, for sending Thy Gentle SON+ Who+ obediently drank the Cup of Bitterness for the good of Mankind ... for the good of me.

+  +  +