You are the highly favoured one

Ish 7:10-14, Lk. 1:26-38. In today's first reading, the Prophet Isaiah proclaims the famous Messianic prophecy declaring the Messiah coming of Emmanuel, or ‘God is with us’, a prophecy of what God would do for the sake of His people, as fulfilled finally in the Gospel, in the accounts of the Annunciation. The Annunciation story is full of splendid promise, radiant with a bright future. In today's Gospel, the Angel of the Lord announces: “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High… He will reign forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Setting these lines alongside all the other echoes of joy we have the happy prospect of a God who wants every human being to be saved; to have a share in God’s own endless fullness of life.

The Angel’s message to Mary drew her response of total acceptance: I am the handmaid of the Lord, let God’s will done to me. Greatly favoured, she responds from the heart, with her whole life, to her priveleged calling. Our Lady is not just the mother of Jesus; she is the perfect disciple of Jesus. Like Him, she devotes herself to God’s purpose for her life. The Gospel suggests that she at first struggled to discern God’s purpose for her life. She was disturbed by the Angel’s promise and wondered how it could be fulfilled. We can be inspired by her example. Like Mary we struggle to know what God wants for us everyday. We try to generously do what is right, as Mary did, even if we have doubts and questions. One can be faithful without fully knowing what God has in mind for us. As we follow the path of discipleship as Mary did, we look to her for help and ask her to pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

May the Lord throw down the walls of hatred between nations, clear the way for those who work for peace, help us to overcome our pride and raise us from the depths of our weakness! Amen! Good morning, it is well with you!!!