First Reading: Is 7: 10-14; 8: 10/
Psalm: Responsorial Psalm: Ps 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 11
(8a and 9a) Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Second Reading: Heb 10:4-10
Gospel: Lk 1: 26-38
Fri: ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD S. Day of abstinence from meat (age 14and up).
Reading 1: Is 7: 10-14; 8: 10/
10 Once again Yahweh addressed Ahaz, 11 “Ask for a sign from Yahweh your God, let it come either from the deepest depths or from the heights of heaven.” 12 But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask, I will not put Yahweh to the test.” 13 Then Isaiah said, “Now listen, descendants of David. Have you not been satisfied trying the patience of people, that you also try the patience of my God? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The Virgin is with child and bears a son and calls his name Immanuel.
10 Devise a plan and it will be thwarted, make a resolve and it will not stand, for God-is-with-us.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 11
(8a and 9a) Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
7 Sacrifice and oblation you did not desire; this, you had me understand. Burnt offering and sin offering you do not require. 8 Then I said, “Here I come!
as the scroll says of me. 9 To do your will is my delight, O God, for your law is within my heart.”
10 In the great assembly I have proclaimed your saving help. My lips, O Yahweh, I did not seal—you know that very well.
11 I have not locked up in my heart your saving help, but have spoken about it—your deliverance and your faithfulness; I have made no secret of your truth and of your kindness in the great assembly.
Reading 2: Heb 10:4-10
4 and never, will the blood of bulls and goats take away these sins. 5 This is why, on entering the world, Christ says: You did not desire sacrifice and offering; 6 you were not pleased with burnt offerings and sin offerings. 7 Then I said: “Here I am. It was written of me in the scroll. I will do your will, O God.” 8 First he says: Sacrifice, offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire nor were you pleased with them—although they were re quired by the law. 9 Then he says: Here I am to do your will. This is enough to nullify the first will and establish the new. 10 Now, by this will of God, we are sanctifi ed, once, and for all, by the sacrifice of the body of Christ Jesus.
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
26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God, to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent 27 to a virgin, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” 29 Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean. 30 But the angel said, “Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. 31 You shall conceive and bear a son; and you shall call him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the kingdom of David, his ancestor; he will rule over the people of Jacob forever; 33 and his reign shall have no end.” 34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 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 holy child to be born of you shall be called Son of God. 36 Even your relative, Elizabeth, is expecting a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child; and she is now in her sixth month. 37 With God nothing is impossible.” 38 Then Mary said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said.” And the angel left her.
Reflection:
Intentions
On this solemnity of the Annunciation, let us pray with Mary for the needs of the Church and of all people.
That the Church may always accept and carry out its vocation of proclaiming the Word of God faithfully and with zeal, we pray:
That with the Lord we may reach out with goodness and tender care to the weak and those suffering, we pray:
That those who have to take important decisions regarding the future of their life may, like Mary, see how they can best serve God and people, we pray:
That we may all become unaffected and humble enough to let God do great things through us, we pray:
That all in our Christian communities may be open enough to God’s Sprit to accept any task God asks of us, we pray:
Lord God, hear us as we ask you that with Mary we may seek your will in all we do. Grant this through her Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer Over the Gifts
Lord our God,
here are bread and wine
as signs of our willingness
to be available to you and to our neighbor.
As Jesus could come among people
because Mary was ready to serve,
so may your Son now be alive among us
because we open our hearts
to you and to those around us,
together with Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord God, our Father,
you have announced also to us today
that your Son came among us
to be our life and joy.
He has been with us
as your living Word and our bread of life.
May we grow in his life
and, like Mary, by his word bring a message
of liberation and happiness
to those in search of life and meaning.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Blessing
“Here I am to do your will,” says Jesus. “Here I am as the handmaid of the Lord,” says Mary. May these be our words too. They are beautiful, but they are not easy. May God be our strength, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Angel that Leaves
“And the angel left her.” The moment Mary said “Yes” to God’s will, the angel left her! Wasn’t it the moment a horde of angels should have descended, stood guard for her day and night? After all, she was the Mother of God! But no! The angel simply left, never more to return during her earthly life. There would be no angel to help her explain the mysterious pregnancy to her family; no angel to find her a home in Bethlehem. No angel would protect her divine child miraculously from the sword of Herod, nor make her travel to Egypt easy. When the child of the promise was lost in the Temple, there was no angel whispering his whereabouts to her; nor when she had to stand beneath the cross with a sword piercing her heart, again. Mary had to walk her “yes” in the utter darkness of faith, and she did! How about me? How would I react when I see the angel leaving?