ProLIS Day 4. Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is With You

Throughout the ProLIS youth formation camp, Bishop Bryan Bayda, Chairman of the Patriarchal Commission for Youth of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, celebrated the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy each day. These liturgies became a unique spiritual experience for the participants, while the bishop's homilies invited young people to reflect more deeply on faith, freedom, vocation, and living the Gospel in everyday life.

We are pleased to share Bishop Bryan Bayda's homilies that accompanied our young people throughout the camp.

 ― Bring to mind something beautiful that someone spoke to you. That is, bring to mind the THE MOST BEAUTIFUL thing that someone has ever said to you. What are the most wonderful, honourable, humanly dignifying, sweetest words you ever heard spoken to you?

It might be “I love you”. Or perhaps “I am so proud of you”. It could be “I am sorry”.

Think of all the details of that moment such as where it was said, who said it, how it was said, etc. And realize that God was the one speaking to you. The Holy Spirit was trying to get your attention and finally, through that person and at that moment, the Holy Spirit is the one that actually communicated that to you. Now take a moment now to remember all the details as if it just happened to you.

It is amazing how God can reach us and touch our hearts! I recall asking this question of a friend of mine (let’s call her Oksana) and she recalled that it was during a confession that she heard the most beautiful words ever spoken to her. She had just finished sharing with the priest her sins and the priest gave a reply that was very sincere, yet I would say was a typical thing to say. He said, “What a beautiful family God has blessed you with!”

Well, Oksana was overwhelmed! Even though the priest was not aware of the impact of his kind words, she was filled with joy and dignity! It filled her eyes with tears. She just heard the most beautiful words ever spoken to her.

Now every time I reminded her of this special moment, it brought back all the details of the memory. I would ask Oksana, “Do you remember when the priest said to you ‘what a beautiful family God has blessed you with’?” She would say “Yes!”, and her face would light up as if she heard those beautiful words for the first time.

NOW, if this moment or perhaps more than one moment came to mind for us, what can be said of the Mother of God? What might be the most BEAUTIFUL WORDS ever said to the Theotokos? Likely there are many to consider, but for the sake of our homily tonight, let us stay with the moment the Archangel Gabriel said to her, “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you!”

Instantly, she was overwhelmed with joy and emotion! She was truly transformed! She was filled with the Holy Spirit and became pregnant with Jesus, the Son of God, Her Lord and Saviour.

(Just stay with this insight for a moment.)

Like so many women filled with joy when they learn they are pregnant, Mary, the Mother of God, was overwhelmed.

I prayed about this moment with the Archangel Gabriel and asked what it was like the moment he spoke those words. “You were chosen of all the heavenly hosts to say to the Mother of God arguably the most sweetest, dignifying words she ever heard in her human life! I mean, She will remember that moment with you forever!”

In prayer, the Archangel said to me, “Yes, of course it was a memorable and unique moment I will always remember, but just think of it, the Holy Spirit wants to do this through you every day. He chooses you to say the most beautiful words someone will ever hear in their entire life, and you will be the person who said those words to them. Prepare yourself every morning for this since you may be aware but perhaps you will likely not even know when it is happening.”

Now consider what happens to the Mother of God every time you pray to Her with the words of the Archangel Gabriel, with the words of the Holy Spirit repeated to Her, when you allow the Holy Spirit to speak to Her when you pray, “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with You!”

She still responds as if overwhelmed for the first time. All the emotions and details of the first time She heard this flood back to Her mind and heart. Just think of what praying a Rosary does to the Mother of God as you repeat the words of the Holy Spirit to Her, again and again. In fact, become aware of what is happening to you as you repeat these words of scripture! It is truly profound!

This is what I mean when I said a few moments ago, “we are actually inviting or allowing the Spirit into our hearts to use us as a mouthpiece.” We are vessels of the Holy Spirit. We allow the Spirit to flow through us to others. Quite possibly, a person will remember what you said to them for the rest of their lives! And if a person comes to you and tells you what happened to them when you said the most beautiful words to them that they ever heard, you will certainly have something to share in prayer with the Archangel Gabriel!

After His Death and Resurrection, Jesus fulfilled His promise to us of a Divine Helper, a Paraclete, a Person of the Most Holy Trinity - the Holy Spirit. The apostles experienced this as they spoke what the Holy Spirit wanted to say to the people that day on Pentecost.

As missionary disciples, God wants to use you to speak things to people and to do acts of kindness, compassion and forgiveness.

So, at the invitation of the Holy Spirit that resides in you, be attentive to the Most Holy Trinity within.

Read Scripture. Learn what you are invited to repeat. Pray and tap into the Holy Spirit that prays without ceasing within you. Meditate as you know how. Learn to pray in different ways. Follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit to confess your sins and seek out the grace of a good sacramental confession.

Be prepared for the Holy Spirit to call on you to speak and to act in ways that the Holy Spirit wants to be present in the lives of others. Pray! Speak! Act according to the Holy Spirit!

Heavenly King, Advocate, Spirit of Truth, Who are everywhere present and fill all things, Treasury of Blessings, Bestower of Life, come and dwell within us; cleanse us of all that defiles us, and, O Good One, save our souls.