This week we celebrated the Feast of the Annunciation, where the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would be with child and her child would be known as “God is with us” or Emanuel. 

Luke1: 

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.

Thoughts: How good are we at saying YES to God? Can we look to Mary as a great example of how to listen and follow the Lord’s will?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, 

• We pray that we may imitate Mary in following Your Holy Will in our lives. 
• We pray for Peace in Ukraine and Gaza, for the souls of those who have died there, for those who have been injured and especially for all of the innocent women and children that have been killed. May they all be with you in Paradise.  
• We ask for your blessing upon all who died in the recent Earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand: may they join you in heaven and may your peace and comfort be with their relatives and friends and those who are seeking to rebuild.
• We ask for your blessing of peace upon our Muslim brothers and sisters who are celebrating Eid Al Fitr (The Feast at the conclusion of Ramadan) that they and their families will be filled with your peace. 

Mary Magdalene

Pray for us.