MONTHLY DEVOTIONAL FOR 8 DECEMBER
December 8, 2025
FEAST OF SAINT JUAN DIEGO – 9th DECEMBER
December 9, 2025
TODAY’S GOSPEL READING
8 DECEMBER, 2025
Luke 1:26-38
The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
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.
THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD!
REFLECTION
The Annunciation reveals a God who enters human history quietly yet decisively. God chooses the ordinary—Nazareth, a young woman, a simple life—to unfold an extraordinary plan of salvation. Mary is troubled not by fear of God but by the weight of what is being asked of her. She listens, questions honestly, and allows the mystery to unfold, showing that faith does not eliminate uncertainty but trusts God within it.
Mary’s response is the heart of this passage: “Let it be done to me according to your word.” Her yes is not passive surrender but courageous cooperation with God’s will. She risks misunderstanding, loss of reputation, and an unknown future. Yet she anchors her trust in God’s promise that “nothing will be impossible with God.” Through her obedience, the Word becomes flesh and hope enters the world.
This encounter teaches that God continues to call people today, often in unexpected ways, asking for trust, openness, and willingness. Like Mary, we are invited to say yes—not because we understand everything, but because we trust the One who calls. When we place our lives in God’s hands, even our small consent can become a doorway for God’s grace to work powerfully in the world.
PRAYER
Lord God, You chose humility and love to enter our world, and You looked with favor upon the lowliness of Your servant Mary. Give us hearts that listen attentively to Your word and minds open to Your holy will, even when it leads us into uncertainty.
Grant us the faith of Mary, to trust when we do not fully understand, and the courage to say yes when Your call asks much of us. Help us to believe deeply that nothing is impossible for You, and to cooperate with Your grace in our daily lives.
May our lives, like Mary’s, make room for Christ to dwell within us, so that Your love may be born anew in our words, actions, and choices. We offer ourselves to You, Lord—may Your will be done in us. Amen
