Breaking the Word

"To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, 'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, 'He is possessed by a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, 'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is vindicated by her works." (Mt 11:16-19)

Jesus seems to be disappointed with this generation. He has worked his way through Galilee. He has preached to the people and he has worked his miracles. Matthew has already spoken about Jesus and his ministry in six chapters (from chapter 4 to chapter 11). This generation has seen the works of Jesus and yet they have not believed in him.

This generation is like children. Children play games. In the games they expect one another to support and help and join in the games. If children do not join in the games or play with them or play their roles then the game is no carried on further. One has to call for the game and others have to join in to complete the game. Through this example Jesus is talking about the non cooperation.

But when he speaks about John the Baptist and himself he speaks about the misunderstanding. Misunderstanding comes because the people give importance to the external signs and read the internal dispositions. Rather the people read in the human way. There is always an another way. That is man is a mystery. This element of mystery is not revealed in external signs and we cannot interpret it easily. 

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,…

 "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you."

^… for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.  (Lk 1:26-38)

Mary became the mother of Jesus because she was favoured by God. The passage brings to our attention the way God dialogued with Mary through the angel and how the angel convinced her of her importance in the history of Salvation. The whole narration is given in such a way anyone reading it would understand and get convinced that Mary was preferred to be the mother of Jesus.

There is no biblical reference here in this passage or any passage to say that Mary was conceived without the effect of original sin except that she was ‘favoured’. Mary received the grace of God. Grace is a free and gratuitous gift from God. The person who receives the grace is in no way worthy to receive it from the human point of view. Even the worthiness is given by God. God has found her worthy and god has chosen her to receive the merit of Jesus.

The salvation which Jesus brought forth through the death and resurrection is again a gift given to the whole humanity and the whole of creation. This gift is not merited but granted freely to all. Mary received this merit right from the beginning of her existence because she was going to be the helper in the plan of God. It is a grace given to her and it is God’s own choice and nothing is impossible to God.