Read the daily readings from the USCCB website here!
Today is the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord. The day where the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and asked for her consent to participate in God's salvific plan. The celebration of the day she declared, "Be it done unto me according to your word" and Jesus was conceived in her womb. Note that this day is not to be confused with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in which Mary was conceived without sin in the womb of her mother, St. Anne. (It also means 9 months until Christmas!)
I was struck during the readings today with the parallel between Jesus and Mary that I saw at the end of the second reading.
Then (Jesus) says, “Behold, I come to do your will.” ...
By this “will,” we have been consecrated
through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.
When I look at a crucifix I can see very tangibly Christ's offering of His Body. It's right there, scarred, limp, and lifeless, before me. The Holy Spirit reminded me today that Mary offered her body for me as well.
Before we were consecrated to the Father through the offering of the Body of Christ, Mary consecrated herself through the offering of her own body for His. Mary's yes, her fiat, opened the door of Christ's saving work on the cross. God could have chosen to redeem us in any way He wanted, but He chose to cooperate with a humble Jewish girl, to be dependent on her "yes." In the same way, we are invited into His plan of salvation. With Paul, we can "complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church" (Colossians 1:24).
What is Jesus inviting you to say yes to? Spend time today praying with the gospel and ask Him to reveal it to you so that you may pray with the psalmist, "Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will;" better yet, pray with Mary, "Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum."
-Amanda Nobis, Director of Evangelization