Reflection for the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

"Mary is truly humble and doesn’t want to show off. She acknowledges being little before God and is happy to be so. At the same time, she is aware that the realization of God’s plan depends on her answer, and that therefore she is called to adhere to it with her whole self. In this circumstance, Mary appears with an attitude that corresponds perfectly to that of the Son of God when He comes into the world: He wants to become the Servant of the Lord, to put himself at the service of humanity to fulfill the Father’s plan.  Mary says: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord”; and, entering the world, the Son of God says: “Lo, I have come to do thy will” (Hebrews 10:7, 9). Mary’s attitude fully reflects this statement of the Son of God, who becomes also Son of Mary. Thus Our Lady reveals herself a perfect collaborator of God’s plan, and she reveals herself also a disciple of her Son, and in the Magnificat she is able to proclaim that God has “exalted those of low degree” (Luke 1:52), because with her humble and generous response she obtained a lofty joy and also a lofty glory."

--Pope Francis, Angelus Address, December 24, 2017