The News if true.....

'The news if true won't change, what changes is how we receive it'.

Last week when speaking to a person who was due to speak at an upcoming Novena in my part of the country I was reminded of the above quote, something he has said to me countless times over the last 2+ years. He reminded me that April 9th was the Feast of the Annunciation this year because of Easter and it was in a homily for the feast day that he first said, 'the news if true won't change'. But he left me wondering how 'the news if true won't change' could be tied into the Annunciation. I went to hear him speak at the Novena and heard his homily on it or some of his original homily at least. I waited in great anticipation to hear the line. At one stage I thought he wasn't going to use it!!

I feel compelled to reflect myself on the whole, 'the news if true won't change and the link with the Annunciation. At the Annunciation, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her that she was with child. Mary did not believe at first as she was a virgin. The angel explained that this had happened through the work of the Holy Spirit and this child was from God. Mary responded, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word" (Lk 1:38). She willingly accepted what was to happen. This is where I am challenged a bit as it has been pointed out to me that without Mary's yes there would have been no Jesus. But surely God could have found another woman for Jesus to be born to if Mary had totally rejected what the angel told her. However, 'The news if true won't change'. The angel did not actually come to Mary to give her a choice to bear the child or not, the fact of the matter was that the Holy Spirit had already filled Mary and she was with child.  Irrespective of her response she was still going to be pregnant for it was God's plan, His will. Even if Mary had totally rejected what she was told this would not have changed the situation. It was meant to happen.

Life throws many challenges our way. 'The news if true won't change, it is how we deal with it' was first said to me soon after the deaths of two loved one, about three weeks after the second death if I remember right. It was said to try help me to accept that they were gone. While it was unfair and sad that I had lost two people in the space of eight days the news was true (unfortunately) and I needed to decide how to respond. My response was not going to change the fact the fact that they were gone. The person who said this was not expecting me to not grieve. On countless occasions, he has supported me through my grief, my tears, my anger. No, I believe he said, the news if true won't change....' and kept saying it to encourage me to keep going, to plough on. After the death of a loved one we often hear that 'x' wouldn't want us to be so sad etc. Personally, I do not find this at all helpful. However, 'the news if true won't change.....' has reminded me that yes, they are gone but I have the freedom to change how I respond to this very true news. Nothing I do will bring them back so when it was first said to me I needed to stop trying to get them back, they were gone, there was no bringing them back. When my uncle passed away last July he came at me with 'the news if true won't change, it's how we deal with it'. I surprisingly didn't find this harsh but well true.... He had a point.

Like Mary I must, as we all should, accept what happens in life and what God asks of us as it is His will. Not accepting won't change what is happening it will just make things a bit more difficult. Not saying yes to what is asked of us..... That would be interfering in God's plan I suppose. God does not ask of us anything that we are not able for.

So remember, 'the news if true won't change, what changes is how we respond to it'.