Monday of the Third Week

Annunciation of the Lord

 Reflection

The Annunciation of the Birth of the Messiah to the blessed virgin Mary...it’s mid-Lent and already it seems we’re preparing for Christmas.  On this feast day, the major cycles of our liturgical calendar overlap.  In Lent-Easter-Pentecost, our focus is the Suffering Servant who came to give his life in ransom for the many, and for whose obedience even to death on the cross, has been raised up,  and whose Spirit we have received.  In Advent-Christmas-Epiphany, it is the mystery of the Word of God who became flesh, conceived by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and who dwelt among us, and dwells among us, and from whose fullness we have all received.

The whole of the Christian Mystery is indeed celebrated in every daily Eucharist.  But it is so overwhelming that we need to celebrate it also piece by piece.  Today’s piece is the astounding story of a country girl, from an insignificant place on the map, among a people who played a very tiny role in global politics—a maiden, though, whom God prepared for an astounding role, and so her name is forever blessed… because of God’s grace, and because of her own “be it done unto me.”

Today, let’s make that our own Lenten prayer: 

Prayer

“Lord, thy will be done, in me, by me.”

Fr. Richard Berube, S.S.E. ’66, Emeritus Professor, Religious Studies

Scripture

First Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10

Psalm 40:7-11

Second Reading: Hebrews 10:4-10

Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website