Praise Jesus that Mom is here to help us at home this week! Her quiet, sweet manner fits just right into our cozy little apartment right now. While Michael and I are learning how to take care of Gabriel, Mom is taking very, very good care of us. 🙂
I think it’s time to share the special story behind my little son’s name, which also has to do with the name of this blog.
God used His special brand of Divine Persistence and one very familiar Bible verse out of Luke to both help me decide it was time to start a family and to show me the perfect name for a little boy.
* * *
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
28 And he came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee.
29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this might be.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God.
31 And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34 And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God.
36 And behold, Elisabeth thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that was called barren.
37 For no word from God shall be void of power.
38 And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
* * *
This past spring, God repeatedly put this passage in front of me. First during personal prayer time at a retreat, then in a reading I was asked to do at a prayer service a couple of weeks later. Finally, when Michael and I went to adoration one night to pray together, I happened to open my Bible directly to Luke 1:26.
The part of the passage that still strikes me the most is Mary’s humble response to Gabriel. “Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to thy word.”
The name of this blog came to me almost as soon as I decided to start it. This pregnancy has shown me how blessed it is to give all of oneself to God’s perfect plan for your life. Blogging has been a huge blessing for me this year. I had forgotten how much I loved to write. And the way this blog has re-connected me to my now far away friends and family has blessed more than I can say.
Before Michael and I headed to the hospital on Sunday night, I had a sense that there was something special I needed to do before we left. The apartment was clean and in order. The dishes and laundry were done. The bags were packed and the baby’s room was ready. I was having painful contractions 5-7 minutes apart and Michael and I had already taken our official Headed to the Hospital picture.
Just as I was walking out the door, however, I suddenly knew what I wanted to do. I turned the pages of our big family bible to Luke 1:26, and left at peace.
Finally, little Gabriel was born on the eve of the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The gospel reading for that day is (you guessed it!) Luke 1:26. Coincidence? Of course not.
So you see, God’s fingerprints are all over my little son. 🙂
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