NACR Daily Meditation for Sunday, Dec 20, 2009

[NACR Daily Meditation]

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NACR Daily Meditation for Sunday, Dec 20, 2009

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  Blessed is she who has believed that 
what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished. 
Luke 1:45



Mary was blessed because she believed.  God had made a promise.  God had 	promised her a child.  She would become pregnant and give birth to a child who would be the long awaited Messiah.  It was a lot to believe.  But Mary believed that what God has said, God would do.  

Does this mean that Mary never doubted?  That she faced all obstacles with composure?  That she never lost sleep because of an anxious heart that would not be calm?  Or was her believing like all human believing, a struggle, a conflict, a turning again and again to God for help?

Often we sabotage our already fragile capacity to believe with expectations that believing should come easy. We give in to self incriminating messages that we are spiritual failures if it does not. We have trouble seeing that the growth of faith is like the growth of any living reality. It is ongoing growth.  It is growth against great odds.  And it is growth at the expense of energy and struggle.  Our faith is like a sprouting seedling persistently pushing against the heavy top soil until it can one day break through to the light.  

Mary  believed.  She struggled against the obstacles and questions and threats to her faith.  And she kept on struggling.  She focused on what God had promised.  She reflected on the Promise-maker.  She nurtured the seedling of her faith, growing her belief that what God said, God would do.

Advent can be a time to nurture the seedling of our faith, to focus on God who has promised great things.  God has promised us a Savior.  God has promised us healing.  God has promised us love, peace and joy.  And what God promises, God will do.


Lord, help me to be faithful 
to the struggle to believe. 
Don't let me become discouraged 
by the lie that believing should come easy. 
The top soil that the seedling of my faith 
pushes against is hardened soil.  
It has been trampled on too often. 
Let me persist in the struggle to grow my faith  
until it finally bursts through. 
Help me to stay focused on you 
Promise-maker,  Promise-keeper. 
Amen.

Copyright  Dale and Juanita Ryan 
 
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If you find these meditations to be helpful you might want to get a copy of Juanita Ryan's book entitled "Keep Breathing: What To Do When You Don't Know What To Do". Copies are available at

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ROOTED IN GOD'S LOVE (the book from which these meditations are taken, is back in print! Order online at

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Meditations from previous days can be viewed at:  

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