Mary: The Handmaid

"Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord." As we remember the solemnity of the Annunciation I think it's important to think about how so willing and completely giving Mary was to God. The solemnity marks the day as when Mary accepted into her heart and body the very will and presence of Christ, the Son of God. It fascinates me to think about her total obedience and submissiveness to God. She says behold; a message not only to God through the Angel but a message even to us to look, observe and see that Mary IS and always will be the handmaid of the Lord.  The very message of the annunciation is to remind us that Mary is the handmaid, of the Lord, of course but for us as intercessor and Mediatrix. I am reminded of her great role in the Church, to bring us to Christ fully as she brought Christ into the world by her obedience and humility. 

The message for us this day is to ponder on the great mystery of God being manifested in man through Jesus Christ, who accepted our lowly humanity to the point of death on a cross. It's a time for us to meditate on those virtues Mary has and pray for a movement towards them. We all fall short of those basic virtues like humility, obedience, patience, kindness, love and compassion and now, today, we have the reminder that Mary is the handmaid for all generations forming us as a Mother does, so that we can obtain those virtues.