9 April 2018
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
Today we celebrate the transferred solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, the celebration of the reign of God begun by his Son when the angel was sent “to a town of Galilee named Nazareth”, on the day when “the son of the Most High” took flesh from “a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David.”
It is the feast commemorating when this young girl named Mary, who was “full of grace”, placed herself completely at the disposal of “God with us”, declaring: “Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord.”
Such will be the prayer to Our Father that “the Word made flesh” will teach his disciples: “Not my will but yours be done.” So too, without realizing it at the moment, her “yes” became identified with the “yes” of her Son on the cross, the “yes” of him who redeems us.
Her “yes” then made her a co-operator of our Redeemer, and therefore the Mother of the Church. She intercedes with her son, the redeemer to give us grace. “Mary, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.”