Dear friends, as I said before, we start with a small path towards Christmas, asking to be guided by the angels of the Holy Night ... We had already presented the figures of St. Raphael and St. Michael's ... Today I present to St. Gabriel, the angel of communication (and even blog ... .. eh, eh ..), accession to God, the angel of motherhood, the angel whose name literally means' the Strength of God '... Why? What is this force? Let us find the meditating Gabriel announced the good priest Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus
Gabriel appears in the Old Testament, the Book of Daniel ... probably was the Guardian Angel of Madonna ... Let us invoke him often! One who has kept the Virgin the way we watch over the ground!
Zechariah and Mary.
Before the Madonna, Gabriel was sent to announce to Zechariah, a priest of the class of Abijah, the unexpected birth of a child.
But here things are held in a different way ...
Zaccaria is raffled off to burn incense. Once entered into the Holy of Holies, saw an angel on the right of ' standing', ie, standing (and not kneeling as the iconographic tradition represents the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary, if anything, there could Zechariah was to be prostrate on the ground ...).
Zaccaria is bewildered at the sight of the apparition and is overcome with fear ... that is to say, even before it has communicated anything. This clearly shows that there was familiarity between the two. ..
fact, a few lines later, the angel appears: "I am Gabriel, who stand before God."
The good priest does not know Spirit who sees and that is why the angel appears ...
the angel will be presented to the Madonna ... This clearly shows that the two are already known.
Zechariah, which is a good man, though upset, it can be noted angel the reality of things: he and his wife, Elizabeth, are advanced in years ... can no longer procreate. He feels that things are now in these terms ... essersene has also been a reason ...
Maybe he even afraid to believe in the word of Gabriel - who knows how many times his hope will be disappointed! - And wants to put before the angel of the situation based on knowledge of natural laws: at a certain age you can not have children, it is a truth ... science! ... and common sense ...
To which the angel responds apparently hard and predicts who will remain silent until the prophecy all'avverarsi because he has not believed to his words.
Interestingly, however, just Elizabeth, wife of Zechariah, the praise Madonna for having believed fulfill the word of the Lord ...
The application of the Madonna, 'how is it possible? I know not man ', was not in fact paid to disbelief in front of the message, but to experience the angelic spirit in defense of his humility and chastity: Mary simply asks in what way the prophecy will come true, that is how this implement, like this (implied: that) will become possible (as is possible? man I do not know) because it intends to remain a virgin.
translation here has really played sull'equivoco the meaning of words that many people think that Our Lady said, "oh, but how is it possible?? In the sense: it is not possible! I am a virgin! "...
Madonna does not doubt that what the angel said to happen by the grace of God, but wants to verify that this is what God expects from you
There is a difference from what is expressed by Zechariah!
One final note:
the angel tells Mary to conceive a child, not that have a son, as he said to Zechariah (" your wife Elizabeth will bear a son").
E ' to give his wife a son to Zacharias ... that God will act on his wife (and the sense is not so obvious ...) but is careful to warn Zechariah ... Why? Meanwhile, we do not know if Elizabeth had intuitions, insights or visions of angels on the plan of God for her. Common sense does not exclude a priori ...
But it must be said that Zechariah is a priest and is the father of John the Baptist. So it must act, opposing the belief (of the series: it's too late now) obeying the divine message.
The character is ad staff .... but only up to a certain point, when everyone leaves the room altar notice that Zacharias was dumb, and understand from his expression that he must be something important happened.
's announcement to Mary is much more private, even secret! No one had to know ...
The only people who know will know for supernatural intervention (Elizabeth, filled with the Spirit, Joseph, warned by the angel in a dream, the prophetess Anna and Simeon, enlightened by the Spirit, etc ...), not sure why the Madonna goes on to say around or does it leak out somehow. Does not say even a Giuseppe leaving it to God in order to resolve the situation potentially dangerous for you and your child.
Punishment or correction?
Well, Gabriele Zaccaria reacts in front of objection, while not react at all to face the question of Mary, even the calm ( Fear not ) quietly explains the supernatural the fact, even giving her news of her cousin and praising the omnipotence of God ..
There is no doubt that the tenor of the dialogue is different: the one between Gabriel and Our Lady peer that between Gabriel and Zechariah no.
Eventually, the poor out Zechariah shocked (to see), happy (for ad) e. .. dumb!
But ammmettiamolo, silence suppression (the angel is right: it can not truly proclaim praise to God who does not recognize the closely Omnipotence over everything and everyone, including themselves and the laws of nature!) Is joy to Zechariah, because it is tangible proof of God's heralded by Gabriel.
Zaccaria break the silence, as promised by the angel, the birth of John the Baptist and then declare his praise to the Almighty.
Madonna, however, announce Magnificat her immediately.
How to evaluate the behavior of Gabriel? What does it mean for us?
Gabriel, in fact, does not punish Zechariah, but teaches him to raise his spirit in accepting the will of God (even that good! That sometimes we are not ready to accept and oppose to this a number of obstacles to his grotesque action ...) and then defended him from the torture of self-doubt because, as we have said, silence is itself a sign.
The angel Gabriel, so sweetly uncompromising, rigorous, says there is no question the Word of God!
Noah and Abraham
A famous contribution of Riccardo Di Segni (see cit. Footnotes), Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community of Rome, was intended to demonstrate the spiritual evolution of the chosen people over time: Noah represents the good man and loyal to the commands of God, but still not perfect: not interceded, the Lord does not force his hand to the brethren when God made known His intention to destroy humanity.
Abraham, however, the father of Israel, despite the intention of God to destroy sinners of Sodom and Gomorrah, it literally puts a bargain with the Almighty, playing the downward even to snatch an indulgence in favor of his fellows.
It is so true ...
Noah, probably the last of the Sons of Puri, it is simply that God is right ... and gives it right!
not discuss the word of God, sets to work.
not pray for his fellow men, make himself available to God's
refer the matter (even painful, if you want) to God
Prayer very pleasing to God is that of intercession on behalf of others but prayer is the absolute fairest of assimilation to His Will.
E, moreover, 'Who is like God?' Michele said ... In
good as or worse: no one is bigger than him in the Goodness of God no one is better
say, as does Abraham Lord, if you could find a fair number of them would perish ? Agreed to this?
means still not understood well that God is Father and not by the things that never hurt her children: there is still a long way to go, but not have reached the higher state of perfection than Noah (which , however, is well aware of this truth)!
means, in short, to think that it is almost .... almost more Good God
But God allows Abraham to pray like this and even the content, because knows that Abraham is driven by good intentions and why know that Abraham knows just yet: I do not know as Father of the People of Israel will have to walk far ... up to Jesus .. we prove that God is the Father ...
God can be prayed and so accepts the prayer of Abraham because is good.
God knows , knows everyone's heart and accept the prayer of knowing Coming.
Jesus himself teaches us to never ask what we (or we think we have) a need, because our Father in heaven it is already aware, and the Mount of Olives prays, "let this cup pass from me, but not my , but your Will be done."
accept without question and good cheer, Divine Will is purely angelic force, even for apparently good, is merely human.
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Note: the contribution interesting, but questionable, Riccardo di Segni can be read in its entirety at the following address: http://www.morasha.it/zehut/rds17_noeprocedeva.html
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