“And the angel said to her, ‘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 Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’ And the angel departed from her” (Lk 1:35, 38, RSVCE).

“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God… to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph… and the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!’ But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ And Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I have no husband?’ And the angel said to her, ‘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, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.’ And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’ And the angel departed from her” (Lk 1:26-36, RSVCE).

Mary gave her humble, complete, and unconditional yes to God. She consented even though she knew becoming pregnant outside of marriage was a serious dilemma in her time. Such a scandal could ruin her life, possibly even end it. But Mary’s thoughts weren’t about herself; they were about obeying and trusting God. She says yes to God’s will, and the Word becomes a tiny embryo in her womb. She trusts in the Lord and obeys Him, and God enters history as one of us. We also must say yes to God—that unqualified, come what may yes—so that the Word of God may live in us too.

Mary completely trusts in the Father. The angel has forecast incredible and unimaginable wonders—the virgin birth—the Incarnation. She believes in God; she trusts in the Lord. The looming scandal threatens to destroy her entire life—she may even be stoned! Still, she believes in God; she trusts in the Lord. The Father has given her an unfathomable responsibility that she cannot hope to handle on her own—she must raise the Messiah, the Son of the Living God! And yet, she believes in God; she trusts in the Lord. We, too, must completely trust in the Lord, trusting that He will provide all we need to do His will.

Salvation history culminates with Gabriel’s greetings; it relies on the young virgin’s consent. “St. Irenaeus says, ‘Being obedient she became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race.’ Hence not a few of the early Fathers gladly assert… ‘The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by Mary’s obedi­ence: what the virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by her faith.’ Comparing her with Eve, they call Mary ‘the Mother of the living’ and frequently claim: ‘Death through Eve, life through Mary’” (CCC 494). As Jesus is the New Adam, Mary is the New Eve, the spiritual mother of us all.

God takes the initiative. He has prepared Mary for this moment and for all the moments that follow, even before her birth. She is uniquely called to this most extraordinary vocation as no other human being could be. She is indeed full of grace, divinely prepared to become the Mother of God. Despite all the divine preparation, she must still consent. And how perfectly she does.

God has taken the initiative with you as well. He has been at work in your life, calling and preparing you. He awaits your complete yes—you full consent—your docile cooperation with the Holy Spirit.

Mary, the handmaid of the Lord, responds with perfect trust and humility. How can we follow her example and grow in both trust and humility?

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How would you respond if an angel appeared to you with plans that could disrupt your whole life? That might put you in danger and cast a shadow over your entire future? God also has such plans for you; He waits for your wholehearted yes.

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God is counting on us. Our family, friends, and unknown others are counting on us. How can we follow Mary’s example and give an unreserved yes to God’s call?

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“Before conceiving the Lord in her body, she had already conceived Him in her soul” (St Augustine). The Lord had prepared the perfect temple for Himself and truly dwelt in it. And in that temple, God took on flesh and became man.

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, ‘Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?’” (Lk 1:41-43).

“During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, ‘Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.’ And Mary said: ‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him’” (Lk 1:39-50).

In the Visitation, we see Mary’s generous heart more clearly. God has granted her the unfathomable privilege of becoming the Mother of God, yet she humbly serves her cousin’s needs. And Mary no doubt worries about the likely scandal looming over her and about to devastate her entire life, yet she puts the needs of Elizabeth above her own concerns. Neither the great honors bestowed upon her nor the great threat lurking about distract her from reaching out in charity to others. We likewise must step outside our own difficult lives and reach out in charity to others.

Mary recognizes the great things the Lord has done for her. She proclaims that all generations will call her blessed. And yet she also knows that it was her lowliness that caught God’s eye; that God has done something wonderful, and all the honor and glory belong to Him alone. Whatever good she has and whatever good she receives comes entirely from God—His extravagant generosity and solely for His glory. Whatever good we have, whatever good we do, and whatever good we become is entirely the undeserved, generous gift of God. All honor and glory belong to Him.

Our Blessed Mother, the God-Bearer, carries the Word of God in her womb as the Ark of the New Covenant. As the first ark held the word of God inscribed on stone—the Ten Commandments—the new ark held the body of Jesus—the Word of God made flesh. As the first ark held the urn filled with manna from the wilderness—the bread that came down from heaven—the womb of Mary contained Jesus, the bread of life that came down from heaven. And as the first ark held the rod of Aaron—that rod which budded to prove and defend the true high priest—the new ark held the actual and eternal High Priest (Adapted from “Mary, the Ark of the New Covenant,” Steve Ray).

Mary joyfully worked in Elizabeth’s home. She oversaw her relative’s pregnancy, cooked meals from scratch, washed all the laundry by hand, and brought good cheer to the elderly couple. She happily took on every chore—no matter how menial. She found joy in giving because she received so much in return. May we, too, give so generously to those around us, turning even the most menial, thankless jobs into acts of love. In such joyful giving, we will truly receive so much! 

How can we better model Mary’s generous, self-forgetting acts of service to others? How can we watch for the opportunities to perform these small acts more often and with greater love?

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Mary is thankful in all situations; she never shows a hint of complaint and rarely exhibits concern. How can we better follow her example and become more thankful, joyful followers of Christ?

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“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior” (Lk 1:46). How can you better proclaim the greatness of the Lord and rejoice in God your Savior?

“And Joseph too went up from Galilee… to the city of David that is called Bethlehem… to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Lk 2:4-7).

“And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’” (Lk 2:4-14).

The Word of God, the very Son of God, the Splendor of the Father, chose poor human parents and even a livestock trough for His cradle. He selected humble shepherds to welcome Him into the world. And when the wise men arrived with gifts, they quickly realized that this humble little king was in every important way wealthier than any king before or after Him. The riches of heaven cannot chase after the riches of earth. In fact, we often need to let go of earthly riches to make room for heavenly treasures.

The Creator of the universe becomes a human child, becomes one of us. The Uncreated One, the One beyond time and space, enters into time and space and unites with His creature. And as He unites with us through our humanity, He invites us to unite with Him so that we may share in His divine sonship, a heavenly inheritance, and divine intimacy. Indeed, “[t]he Son of God became a son of man so that the sons of men might become sons of God” (St. Athanasius). Jesus has prepared the Way, and this very day leads us onward, ever forward, to more fully realize divine sonship through Him.

Imagine yourself as one of the shepherds kneeling beside the infant Jesus in the manger. Picture the all-powerful creator of the universe stooping to become a tiny embryo, then a helpless human baby born to a poor couple in a stable. The almighty Lord of the universe embraces poverty, humility, and vulnerability. Now peer into those infant eyes knowing God gazes back. Understand that He lowers Himself from His inconceivable heights beyond creation itself to the lowest, poorest human station out of love for you and me. Think about how Mary and Joseph wrestle with Who this child is and what this will mean for their lives.

Emmanuel, God is with us! God was always with us, yet in the fullness of time, He came to dwell with us most directly—most personally. He spoke to us face to face, touching and healing us as one of us—truly approachable, truly human. And after His ultimate act of love, He still remains with us—especially in the Eucharist and in the Church—as a continuation of the mystery begun at Bethlehem. Additionally, He also dwells intimately with each of us through His Spirit, always near, living in us and our families, residing in our work and history.

The angel of the Lord delivers the good news of the Incarnation to poor, lowly shepherds rather than the religious and political leaders. Why does God often favor the poor and lowly? In what ways might we become more “poor and lowly”?

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We are meant to become “mini-incarnations,” as it were, since God dwells in us as well. Do we look for the image of God in ourselves and others? How do we find and nurture the trace of God in others?

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“The Son of God became a son of man so that the sons of men might become sons of God” (St. Athanasius). Do we recognize the great dignity we possess as brothers and sisters of Christ? How can reflecting on this dignity within ourselves and others bring blessings to everyone?

“[T]hey took [the child Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord… and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves… [Simeon the righteous] blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed’” (Lk 2:22, 24, 34-35).

“When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord… and to offer the sacrifice of ‘a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons’ in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: ‘Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.’ The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed’” (Lk 2:22-35).

Simeon kept his eyes on the Lord and always trusted in Him. God had promised he would see the Christ before he died, and he believed that God would keep His promise. Even as the years passed—indeed, the decades—he continued to believe! We, too, must remain patient regarding God’s promises. We may also wait on Him for decades. We must patiently wait on the Lord so that we can also receive our reward and be ready for eternity with Him.

The Holy Family faithfully obeyed the law of Moses. Obedience to God expresses our love for Him. Indeed, Jesus says that those who love Him will obey Him. Jesus states that those who do the will of the Father are His brothers and sisters. We must trust in the Lord and obey Him in everything. We should also recognize the authority Jesus gave His church and obey the Church’s teachings in all things. Out of love for God, we must fulfill the law and go beyond it by offering generous service to anyone who asks.

Mary fully understands that her life is not her own. She lives entirely for God and His Son. She recognizes that her life is completely bound and intertwined with this child, her divine Son. She will share in all His joys as well as His suffering. And the righteous Simeon now reveals that the suffering will indeed be great. We must also fully realize that our life is not our own; our life, too, is completely bound and intertwined with Jesus. We, too, are called to share in His joys and suffering. We, as well, must wholeheartedly accept the Lord’s will. We, too, must give our sincere yes.

The infant Jesus is presented in the Temple, and yet He is the true and everlasting temple. God dwells in Jesus far more than He ever dwelt in the old temple. God so perfectly and completely dwells in Jesus, infinitely more so than the “Holy of Holies” hidden away behind the veil in the deepest recesses of the old temple. He will replace the temple of stone with the temple of flesh—His own body. He will replace all the endless animal sacrifices with one final and ultimate sacrifice—His own body. He will incorporate us as living stones into this true and everlasting temple—His own body. We, the Church, are the Body of Christ, the living temple of God.

Do we joyfully obey the Church’s teachings? Or do we question and complain about every small requirement? How might we improve our outlook toward the little the Church requires of us?

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Your heart, too, will be pierced by a sword. Are you willing to journey forward knowing that difficult things will be asked of you as well? Can you wholeheartedly follow Jesus and Mary in this?

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Simeon and Ana both recognized the infant Jesus as the Christ. Do we openly consider the insights of our spiritual elders? Are we open to the Lord speaking to us through others?

“After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers… ‘Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he said to them” (Lk 2:46-47, 49-50).

“Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, ‘Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.’ And he said to them, ‘Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced [in] wisdom and age and favor before God and man” (Lk 2:41-52).

Jesus amazed the rabbis in the temple with His wisdom. Imagine Jesus asking questions to uncover the deeper meaning of the scriptures; imagine Him quoting scriptures that emphasize the spirit of the law and urge mercy over sacrifice. Jesus was already doing the Father’s work; already laying the foundation for what would come later. Imagine Him planting seeds in the younger rabbis, knowing which would follow the Gospel and which would jealously seek His life. 

The rabbis were receptive to the insights the young Jesus shared with them. Jesus offers us insights as well. He often speaks to us through others and through our circumstances. He reveals His truth through their love and inspiration, through their corrections and challenges, even through their faults and mistakes. He also communicates with us through the circumstances of our lives, through both blessings and trials, through the mundane and the ordinary. Like the rabbis, we too must remain open to the insights God continually provides to discerning hearts throughout each day of their journey to Him.

Mary was puzzled by Jesus. Neither she nor Joseph understood what He was doing, and His explanation only added to their confusion. Still, they accepted His mysterious answer even though they could not fully grasp it. They accepted it because they trusted Him. Our Lord often baffles us, too. Indeed, life seldom makes sense, and Jesus seems slow in offering answers. He calls us to likewise accept His word and His will; He asks us to trust in Him even when we don’t understand.

Where are we to seek Jesus? We should certainly seek Him in the Bible—He is indeed the Word of God made present on Earth. We should seek Him within one another—He surely dwells in the hearts of all those who love Him. We should seek Him in the Church’s teachings and the writings of the saints—He abundantly dwells in that guaranteed treasury of Divine Revelation. However, above all, we should seek Him in the Temple! We shall always find Him in the temple. And as we are the New Jews of the New Covenant, we should above all seek Him in the Mass—in the Sacrifice of the Mass—in the Holy Eucharist. This is the temple where we will always find Him.

We, like Mary and Joseph, must continue looking for Jesus. We must take care not to question His ways and to trust in Him completely.

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When we hear the truth of the Gospel, we need to listen attentively, just as the teachers in the temple did. The faithful disciple understands that learning the Lord’s ways is a lifelong journey.

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Prayerfully reading the Bible and other spiritual books is very much like sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning directly from Him.

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this our exile
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

O God, whose only-begotten Son, by His life, death, and Resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech thee, that by meditating upon these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen.