Gospel Reflection - Luke 1:26-38 - March 25, 2023 - Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

Gospel Reflection - Luke 1:26-38 - March 25, 2023 - Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord


    Daily Mass Readings | March 25, 2023

    First Reading

    Is 7:10-14; 8:10
    The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying:
    Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;
    let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!
    But Ahaz answered,
    "I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!"
    Then Isaiah said:
    Listen, O house of David!
    Is it not enough for you to weary people,
    must you also weary my God?
    Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:
    the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son,
    and shall name him Emmanuel,
    which means "God is with us!"

    Responsorial Psalm

    Ps 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 11
    R. (8a and 9a) Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

    Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
    but ears open to obedience you gave me.
    Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
    then said I, "Behold I come."

    R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

    "In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
    To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
    and your law is within my heart!"

    R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

    I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
    I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.

    R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
    Your justice I kept not hid within my heart;
    your faithfulness and your salvation I have spoken of;
    I have made no secret of your kindness and your truth
    in the vast assembly.

    R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

    Second Reading


    Heb 10:4-10
    Brothers and sisters:
    It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats
    take away sins.
    For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he said:

    "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
    but a body you prepared for me;
    in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.
    Then I said, 'As is written of me in the scroll,
    behold, I come to do your will, O God.'"

    First he says, "Sacrifices and offerings,
    holocausts and sin offerings,
    you neither desired nor delighted in."
    These are offered according to the law.
    Then he says, "Behold, I come to do your will."
    He takes away the first to establish the second.
    By this "will," we have been consecrated
    through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.

    Verse Before the Gospel
    Jn 1:14ab
    The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us;
    and we saw his glory.

    Gospel

    Lk 1:26-38
    The angel Gabriel was sent from God
    to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
    to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
    of the house of David,
    and the virgin's name was Mary.
    And coming to her, he said,
    "Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."
    But she was greatly troubled at what was said
    and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
    Then the angel said to her,
    "Do not be afraid, Mary,
    for you have found favor with God.
    Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
    and you shall name him Jesus.
    He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
    and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
    and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
    and of his Kingdom there will be no end."
    But Mary said to the angel,
    "How can this be,
    since I have no relations with a man?"
    And the angel said to her in reply,
    "The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
    and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
    Therefore the child to be born
    will be called holy, the Son of God.
    And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
    has also conceived a son in her old age,
    and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
    for nothing will be impossible for God."
    Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
    May it be done to me according to your word."
    Then the angel departed from her.

    Gospel Reflection

    The Gospel today tells us about the Annunciation, when the angel Gabriel was sent by God to Mary. Upon seeing Mary, the angel greeted her saying, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” In this simple greeting, the angel makes known to us the great mystery of God’s plan for our salvation through Mary.

    As a Catholic, it is essential for me to reflect on the importance of the Annunciation and its message for our lives. In this passage, we see Mary’s humble obedience to God’s plan for her life. She accepted the role given to her by God with a pure heart, recognizing that everything that happened in her life was in accordance with God’s will.

    Mary’s response to Gabriel showed her profound faith and trust in God, which is a model for all of us to follow. When we face challenges and difficulties in our lives, we should look to Mary as an example of trust in God’s plan for us. She reminds us that nothing is impossible with God, and that we should always be open to the possibilities of His will.

    Moreover, the Annunciation highlights the importance of Mary in salvation history. Mary may not have been a priest or a prophet, but she was chosen by God to be the Mother of His Son, Jesus Christ. Through her obedience and faith in God, Mary played an essential role in the salvation of humanity.

    Let us emulate Mary’s steadfast faith, which allowed her to be an instrument in the hands of God. As we journey through life, let us look to the example of the Virgin Mary and respond to God’s plan for our lives with humility, obedience, and trust. May we always say ‘Yes’ to the Lord, no matter the cost, knowing that His plan will always lead us to true happiness and everlasting life.

    Prayer

    Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of Mary, who teaches us how to surrender ourselves to Your will. Help us to have the same humility and trust that Mary had, so that we too can say "yes" to the plan You have for our lives.

    As we prepare for the coming of Your Son, Jesus, help us to reflect on how we can be more open to Your will in our daily lives. May we be inspired by the example of Mary, and strive to be more like her, saying "yes" to Your plan for us without hesitation or reservation.

    We ask for the intercession of Mary, our Mother, as we journey towards Christmas. May she guide us closer to her Son, and help us to always seek Your will in all that we do. We make this prayer through Christ, our Lord. Amen.


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