Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:38 NABRE)
There is a special quality in Mary which led her to yield without hesitation to God's will. Perhaps this quality is rooted in her perception of herself as the handmaid of the Lord.
How do we see ourselves?
Even though she was troubled and confused by what she was told by Gabriel--that she would bear a son, Jesus, who would be called the Son of God and be given the throne of David--Mary accepted this news and the task from God without hesitation.
Do we say, like Mary, "May it be done to me according to your word." without hesitation?
Today's feast day, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, arose in the Eastern Church in the seventh century and came to the West in the eighth century. The Church believes the Most Blessed Virgin Mary was born and "preserved free from all stain of original sin." It took a long time for this doctrine to develop, but it is understood as enhancement of Jesus' redemptive work because "in Mary, Jesus' work was so powerful as to prevent original sin at the outset."* We do not worship Mary, but we turn to her as our spiritual mother who intercedes with God on our behalf.
Today, I will pray the rosary, asking the Lord to show us his mercy during the Church's Jubilee Year of Mercy.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now.
No comments:
Post a Comment