I am the handmaid of the Lord.

BEHOLD, I AM A MAID SERVANT OF THE LORD. 

"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." (Luke 1: 26 - 38).

Sunday 24th of December 2023. Final Day of Advent. Christmas Eve. 

Today, the Sacred Scripture focuses on the Call and Mission of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of the Lord.  Who is Mary of Nazareth and why is she a powerful person in the history of salvation and life of the Church? 

#1. Mary is the only daughter of Joachim and Anne. A sweet joy of answered prayer to Joachim and Anne. The couple sensed her uniqueness and destiny and dedicated her to God and after she was weaned brought her to the Temple where she was educated by priests. 

#2. The Church draws most of her knowledge of the infancy narrative of Mary from credible non-biblical sources called Apocrypha. Remember that the Church discerns the truth of Revelation from not only Sacred Scripture but also Sacred Tradition and Sacred Magisterium. Sensus fidelium (the common faith of the faithful) plays a role in the discernment of truth in the Church. 

#3. The biblical sources of our knowledge of Mary are not voluminous but they contain all we need to know for our devotion and salvation. 

#4. The four Mysteries of the Holy Rosary, viz: Annunciation, the Luminous Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries and the Glorious Mysteries tell the whole story of salvation and who Mary is. If you do not pray the Rosary, you miss the acres of diamonds in your backyard. 

#5. The Blessed Virgin Mary is the only human being who knew Jesus Christ from the Visitation of the Angel Gabriel (the Annunciation) to the death of Jesus on the Cross, His burial and Resurrection. Mary was present in the Upper Room waiting and praying for the Holy Spirit to descend on Pentecost Sunday, the Birthday of the Church. 

#6. Mary continues to intervene in the lives of simple people in significant apparition events throughout Church history, viz: Guadalupe, Fatima, Lourdes, etc. 

We read today of how God sent the Angel Gabriel to a young woman with an astonishing promise. Gabriel told Mary that through the power of God, she will become the Mother of God. Once Mary fully understands the implications of the message, she replies:  "I am the handmaid of the Lord: let what you have said be done to me. (Luke 1: 38).

The Church elaborates:

"To become the mother of the Savior, Mary "was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role." The angel Gabriel at the moment of the annunciation salutes her as "full of grace". In fact, in order for Mary to be able to give the free assent of her faith to the announcement of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly borne by God's grace." (CCC 490).

The Child we are expecting at midnight will "be ruler in Israel."

He is the King of the Universe and His origin is "from ancient times."  (Micah 1: 1).

He is the Lord who is always with us. The Emmanuel. He is the Lord who is Peace.

"O Key of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness!"

"I am your Mother, the Mother given you by my Son Jesus, from the Cross, in the solemn hour of His sacrifice. And you are my son, dear to my Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart, precious to me, and ever under the mantle of my protection. Let me live with you as I lived with John, the second son of my Heart and the model for all my priest sons down through the ages. Speak to me simply and with complete trust in the compassion of my maternal Heart and in the power given to my maternal intercession." (IN SINU JESU, Wednesday, March 25, 2009The Annunciation).

For the Immaculate Conception Devotions and Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/11/novena-of-immaculate-conception.html?m=1

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com