Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
Jesus said, “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight. Then I said, ‘as is written of me in the scroll, behold, I come to do your will, O God.’” A common theme on this Solemnity is the will of God.
What is this will that Jesus is referring to? We are told in the second reading from Hebrews that, “By this ‘will’ we have been consecrated through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.” God’s will, which Jesus embraced, is one of sacrifice. Jesus came into the world and became flesh, entering into the body prepared for him by the Father, so that we might be consecrated to him and become one with the Father through Jesus’ Life, Death, and Resurrection. Jesus is the promised sign that was prophesied by Isaiah, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us!’” God is truly with us for he sent his son into the world so that we might have eternal life with him.
How do we respond to the sacrifice of Jesus? How do we live and embrace the will of God in our lives? We must follow the example of Mary and listen to the call of God speaking to us and then humbly embrace it and say with her, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”
Reflection by Br. Placid Dale, OSB
Posted in Articles for Lent, Daily Reflections, Lenten Resources