When my friend came down with a very serious disease, he was stunned but hopeful.
The doctor said his condition could be controlled if he made substantial changes to his lifestyle, including diet, exercise, and weight loss. However, the doctor also warned that if he did not follow this advice, his life would more than likely be cut short by several years.
At first my friend worked hard to follow his new regimen, but gradually he fell away, and resumed his previous lifestyle.
In fact, researchers say this is usually the case: a full 90% of us fail to make critical lifestyle changes with regard to our health even when faced with life or death ultimatums like my friend.
Change is really tough - even when doing so can be life-saving.
So how do we do so?
Where do we find the strength to change?
This Sunday, the 4th Sunday of Advent, we hear of the blessed Virgin Mary's encounter with the angel Gabriel. He proposes a dramatic change - will she have the Christ chid? She says yes. And she does so using the same power that is available to you and me, the power of the Holy Spirit.
When we hear the word 'power' our minds typically think of political dominance, physical strength, military might, or even expressions in nature, like earthquakes or lightning.
However, when we hear of the 'power of the Holy Spirit' we do well to imagine it as the strength to say yes to otherwise impossible things.
Every day you and I seek similar power - the power to forgive, to be hopeful, to have faith that God will care for us, that our lives are infinitely significant - to a number of things that we may have deemed impossible.
But the same power that came upon this willing virgin seeks to empower you and to say yes to the difficult maybe even the impossible - to the unknown, the challenging, and the needful.
Can we articulate what we might need that power for, what’s that impossible thing before us - and be bold enough to ask God for it?
This is the life of faith, this is the power Jesus came to give us - and this is the imitation and invitation of Mary.
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