Advent Retreat (Fiat Mihi) - First Meditation (The Angelic Message)
FIRST POINT: God’s Inspiriations & Our Response
PRESENTATION
10 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, 11 “Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.” 13 And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 14 ¶ Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin * shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanu-el. 15 He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.
ILLUSTRATION
SECOND POINT: Mary’s Prudent Response
PRESENTATION
18 ¶ And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 ¶ And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”
ILLUSTRATION
Prudence is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it