The Lord's Servant

 

 Luke 1: 26-31

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called^[a] the Son of God. ³⁶ Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷ For no word from God will ever fail.”

³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

 As we celebrate this major feast of the Patroness of the United States, let us put ourselves in Mary's shoes as she hears the invitation to participate in God's plan for her, the baby to be conceived and called Jesus, and her role in the salvation of the human race.  What does a teenage girl do with such a huge proposal?  She does not run, but seeks a bit of clarification, and then fully accepts to do God's will as his humble servant. No wonder we honor her today when we remember her conception, totally free and clean of Original Sin, which plagues the rest of humankind.  When we are confronted with calls and duties we think far beyond our capacity to fulfill, may Mary's example remind us that we too are humble servants and that God will give us whatever we need to fulfill his plan for us.

In 1846, the American Bishops placed the United States under the protection of the Immaculate Conception.  Let us renew this pledge and find strength from the protection and example of Mary during these troubled times.

Bro, Rene

Most Holy Trinity, we place the United States of America into the hands of Mary Immaculate in order that she may present the country to you. Through her, we wish to thank you for the great resources of this land and for the freedom that has been its heritage. Through the intercession of Mary, have mercy on the Catholic Church in America. Grant us peace. Have mercy on our President and on all the officers of our government. Grant us a fruitful economy, born of justice and charity. Have mercy on capital and industry and labor. Protect the family life of the nation. Guard the precious gift of many religious vocations. Through the intercession of our Mother, have mercy on the sick, the tempted, sinners--on all who are in need. Amen.