A Jesuit Catholic University
in Omaha, Nebraska, since 1878

Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord [545] Is 7: 10-14; 8:10 Ps 40: 7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 11 Heb 10: 4-10 Lk 1: 26-38

Weekly Guide for Daily Prayer The Daily Reflections

“Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.” Refrain for responsorial psalm

Today is the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, in which we celebrate the Angel Gabriel's appearance to the Virgin Mary announcing she is chosen to be the Mother of God. Thus, this feast represents Christ’s incarnation. I normally remember this solemnity occurring on March 25th in order that it is nine months before Christmas; however, this year it does not so I looked up the reason the date was switched. It turns out that this year March 25th is the Monday of Holy Week, so therefore the celebration is transferred to the day after Divine Mercy Sunday, or April 8th.

One of the passages that stood out to me was the refrain for the responsorial psalm: “Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.” With the season of Lent finished, it is common to return to our former ways. This phrase reminds me that although Lent may be over, my spiritual development is just beginning. One aspect of Lent is that it is a time to prepare myself by realizing my weaknesses, and now that I have gone through this period, it is time to truly be responsive to the will of the Lord. This feature of Lent – a preparation or training of faith – is similar to the forty years the Israelites spent in the desert strengthening their faith in order to live in the Promised Land. So, with this attitude, we can hopefully respond to the will of God with the same surrendered love of Mary when asked to bear the Son of God – “May it be done to me according to your word.”

The openness of Mary to respond with her entire being to the will of God was the beginning of her participation in the life of God. From that moment on, she never turned away from her initial response to follow the will of God. I sometimes ask myself how I can exemplify Mary’s selfless desire to bear Christ in her life. Although we may think that we cannot bear Christ as Mary bore Christ in her womb, we bear Christ every time we receive the Eucharist, for it is truly the Body and Blood of Christ. Therefore, the Body we receive in Holy Communion is the same Body born of Mary. She understood that her will is not to be done, but the will of God; that in order to find herself, she must lose herself in God, as John 3:30 states, “He must increase; I must decrease.” Just as in Mary’s “Yes”, may we also be able to respond as she did when God called her to something greater than herself. This feast reminds us that Mary did not let God work with her, but through her. Let us ask the Lord for an open heart to follow God’s will as we pray the Angelus:

V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, etc.
V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord,
R. Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
Hail Mary, etc.
V. And the Word was made flesh,
R. And dwelt amongst us.
Hail Mary, etc.
V. Pray for us, O most holy Mother of God,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that, as we have known the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son by the message of an Angel, so by His Passion and Cross we may be brought to the glory of the Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.