December 20, 2022 Reflection – Hail, full of grace!

Hail, full of Grace!

December 20, 2022

Dear Family of Mary!

The Gospel reading today is the account of the Annunciation of the Lord, which Mary herself must have told to St. Luke. We learn so much in so few words in this account. We learn about God’s sending of Gabriel to Mary, to ask her to be the mother of His Son. Wow! We learn about Gabriel, who quickly went to Mary and entering her house, he greeted Mary as “Hail, full of grace!” We learn that Mary was a young woman, but she was in full command of her freedom and her will. She was able to ask all the right questions to come to a full and free decision about what God was asking. And we hear Mary exclaim: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” She is the model for our relationship with God! Be it done!!!

This encounter changed history completely and forever!! Our Lady gave herself to be the Mother of the Savior! We can never thank her enough!

Let us meditate with joy:

Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month,
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.

Amen, and amen!!

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
(c) Mary TV 2022