Solemnity of the Annunciation of
the Lord
Lectionary: 545
Reading
The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying:
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;
let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!
But Ahaz answered,
“I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!”
Then Isaiah said:
Listen, O house of David!
Is it not enough for you to weary people,
must you also weary my God?
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!”
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;
let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!
But Ahaz answered,
“I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!”
Then Isaiah said:
Listen, O house of David!
Is it not enough for you to weary people,
must you also weary my God?
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!”
Responsorial Psalm PS 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 11
R. (8a and 9a) Here I am, Lord; I come to do your
will.
Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, “Behold I come.”
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!”
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Your justice I kept not hid within my heart;
your faithfulness and your salvation I have spoken of;
I have made no secret of your kindness and your truth
in the vast assembly.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, “Behold I come.”
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!”
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Your justice I kept not hid within my heart;
your faithfulness and your salvation I have spoken of;
I have made no secret of your kindness and your truth
in the vast assembly.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Reading 2 Heb 10:4-10
Brothers and sisters: It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sins. For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he 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.’” First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in.” These are offered according to the law. Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Gospel Lk 1:26-38
The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town ofGalilee called Nazareth ,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“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, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.
to a town of
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“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, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.
Meditation: "Hail, O favored one, the
Lord is with you!"
: Do you recognize the favor and blessing which God reveals to
everyone who believes in him and who trusts in his word? In the Psalms we pray,
"Lord, show me a sign of your favor" (Psalm 86:17). We see a tangible
and remarkable sign of God's favor in the annunciation of the Word becoming
flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary. There is a venerable tradition in many
churches of the East and West, dating back to the 3rd and 4th centuries, which
celebrates in late March or early April the Angel Gabriel's message to Mary
that she would miraculously conceive by the Holy Spirit a Son whose name is
Jesus, which means "God saves". The dating of the feast of the
annunciation is nine months before the date of the birth of Jesus which is
celebrated on December 25th. This good news which the Angel Gabriel brought to Mary is a fulfilment of the promises which God made to his people throughout the Old Covenant - that he would show them his favor and send them a Redeemer. In the Old Covenant God performed many signs and miracles to demonstrate his love and mercy for his people, such as their deliverance from slavery in Egypt and the miraculous crossing of the Red sea on dry land (Psalm 78:43-53). When Ahaz, king of Judah and heir to the throne of David (735 B.C.) was surrounded by forces that threatened to destroy him and his people, God offered him a sign to reassure him that God would not abandon the promise he made to David and his descendants. King Ahaz, however, had lost hope in God and refused to ask for a sign of favor. God, nonetheless, gave a sign to assure his people that he would indeed give them a Savior who would rule with peace and righteousness (Isaiah 7:11ff).
We see the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy and the unfolding of God's plan of redemption in the events leading up to the Incarnation, the birth of the Messiah King. The new era of salvation begins with the miraculous conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary. This child to be born is conceived by the gracious action of the Holy Spirit upon Mary, who finds favor with God (Luke 1:28). As Eve was the mother of all humanity doomed to sin, now Mary becomes the mother of the new Adam who will father a new humanity by his grace (Romans 5:12-21). This child to be conceived in her womb is the fulfillment of all God’s promises. He will be “great” and “Son of the Most High” and “King” and his name shall be called “Jesus” (Luke 1:31-32), which means “the Lord saves.” “He will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). The angel repeats to Mary, the daughter of the house of David, the promise made to King David: "The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end" (2 Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 1:32-33).
How does Mary respond to the word of God delivered by the angel Gabriel? She knows she is hearing something beyond human capability. It will surely take a miracle which surpasses all that God has done previously. Her question, “how shall this be, since I have no husband” is not prompted by doubt or skepticism, but by wonderment! She is a true hearer of the Word and she immediately responds with faith and trust. Mary's prompt response of "yes" to the divine message is a model of faith for all believers. Mary believed God's promises even when they seemed impossible. She was full of grace because she trusted that what God said was true and would be fulfilled. She was willing and eager to do God's will, even if it seemed difficult or costly. Mary is the “mother of God” because God becomes incarnate when he takes on flesh in her womb. When we pray the Nicene Creed we state our confession of faith in this great mystery: “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit, he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man”. God gives us grace and he expects us to respond with the same willingness, obedience, and heartfelt trust as Mary did. When God commands he also gives the help, strength, and means to respond. We can either yield to his grace or resist and go our own way. Do you believe in God's promises and do you yield to his grace?
"Heavenly Father, you offer us abundant grace, mercy, and forgiveness through your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Help me to live a grace-filled life as Mary did by believing in your promises and by giving you my unqualified 'yes' to your will and plan for my life."
 The Power of Personal Freedom |
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Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
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The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Introductory Prayer: Heavenly Father, you have given Mary to us as our Blessed Mother. Thank you. I know that she constantly intercedes on our behalf and that you listen to her prayer. I am confident in your mercy and love. You are guiding me home to spend eternity with you. I place all my trust in you. I offer you my weak, but grateful love in return. Petition: Lord, grant me the grace to embrace you in faith, hope, and love. 1. Sent from God: Too often we attribute too much of our achievements to our own doing. Our education, wealth, or technological ability can lead us to have a false sense of security in our ability to shape our world. Today’s Gospel reminds us that God’s plan for the salvation of the human race is his own initiative. He sends his Son into the world at a precise time and in a precise place. He prepares Mary beforehand with everything she will need to fulfill her mission as Mother of the Redeemer – a mission that she accepts in freedom and through faith. I do well to realize more and more that God is also the true protagonist of my own life. 2. Do Not Be Afraid: One of the constant refrains of the Gospel is Jesus’ admonition: “Do not be afraid.” When the Lord draws near, our natural tendency is to be afraid. We can be afraid of his presence. We can be afraid of what he might ask of us. We can be afraid of our own limitations in the face of the call to true conversion and holiness of life. We can be afraid of the apparent obstacles along the path of Christian discipleship. Like Mary, we need to overcome our fear by embracing God’s will with faith and love. As our confidence in God increases, our fear decreases. As our love increases, our fear disappears. Of what am I afraid in my relationship with the Lord? Am I surrendering my fear by giving myself in faith? 3. May It Be Done to Me: What a truly incredible thing it is to make the salvation of the human race dependent upon the free response of Mary! Mary’s “yes” to God shows us the power and transcendence of personal choice. It also sheds light on the importance of our own personal “yes” to God with regard to his plan for our lives. Mary’s loving, faith-filled consent to a plan she did not fully understand becomes the model of our own daily consent to the divine will as it manifests itself in our daily lives. Conversation with Christ: Lord, I have remembered through this meditation that you are the one guiding my life and all of history. I need to be mindful that you always intend good for me, even if it is painful and purifying. So I should never be afraid of your hand in my life. I believe and trust in you my Lord, but increase my faith, hope and love. Resolution:I will embrace God’s will today as Mary did -- with faith and love. |
MONDAY, APRIL 8
SOLEMNITY OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD
LUKE 1:26-38
(Isaiah 7:10-14, 8:10; Psalm 40; Hebrews 10:4-10)
KEY VERSE: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God" (v 30).
REFLECTING: Can I say with Mary: "Be it done unto me according to your will"?
PRAYING: Mary of
Happy are all who put their trust in the Lord
Jesus’ words to Nicodemus seem to imply that we have little chance of seeing the
How often might we be called by the Spirit to witness to our faith or to speak up against the ways of the world which promote injustice? Are we vigilant in watching for God’s presence in our lives, always prepared to make a difference in our own arenas of family, work and play? ‘The wind blows where it pleases’, Jesus says, and we should listen for its sound. It might just take us into uncharted but inspiring places.
April 8
St. Julie Billiart
(1751-1816)
St. Julie Billiart
(1751-1816)
Born in Cuvilly , France
A mysterious illness overtook her when she was about 30. Witnessing an
attempt to wound or even kill her father, Julie was paralyzed and became a
complete invalid. For the next two decades she continued to teach catechism
lessons from her bed, offered spiritual advice and attracted visitors who had
heard of her holiness. When the French Revolution broke out in 1789, revolutionary forces became aware of her allegiance to fugitive priests. With the help of friends she was smuggled out of Cuvilly in a haycart; she spent several years hiding in
But this period also proved to be a fruitful spiritual time for Julie. It was at this time she had a vision in which she saw
Though Julie had always been attentive to the special needs of the poor and that always remained her priority, she also became aware that other classes in society needed Christian instruction. From the founding of the Sisters of Notre Dame until her death, Julie was on the road, opening a variety of schools in
Julie died there in 1816. She was canonized in 1969.
Comment:
Julie's immobility in no way impeded her activities. In spite of her suffering, she managed to co-found a teaching order that tended to the needs of both the poor and the well-to-do. Each of us has limitations, but the worst malady any of us can suffer is the spiritual paralysis that keeps us from doing God’s work on earth.
Julie's immobility in no way impeded her activities. In spite of her suffering, she managed to co-found a teaching order that tended to the needs of both the poor and the well-to-do. Each of us has limitations, but the worst malady any of us can suffer is the spiritual paralysis that keeps us from doing God’s work on earth.
LECTIO: THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD
Lectio: Monday,
April 8, 2013
God’s covenant with humanity
Mary’s yes and our yes
Luke 1,26-38
1. Opening prayer
Merciful Father, in this holy
time of prayer and of listening to your Word, send also to me your holy angel
that I may receive the proclamation of salvation and that, after opening my
heart, I may offer my yes to Love. Let, I beg you, the Holy Spirit overshadow
me as an overwhelming power. As from now, Father, I do not wish to express anything
other than my “Yes!” and to say to you: “Behold, I am here for you. Do unto me
whatever pleases you”. Amen.
2. Reading
a) The context of the passage:
The story of the annunciation
takes us from the temple, a holy place par excellence, to the house, to the
intimacy of a personal meeting of God with his creature; it leads us into
ourselves, into the deepest part of our being and our story, where God alone
can reach and touch us. The announcement of the birth of John the Baptist had
opened the sterile womb of Elisabeth, thus overcoming the absolute
powerlessness of humankind and transforming it into the ability to collaborate
with God. On the other hand, the announcement of the birth of Jesus, knocks on
the door of a fertile womb of the one who is “full of grace” and awaits a
reply: it is God who waits for our yes so as to work everything in us.
b) An aid to the reading of this passage:
vv. 26-27: The first two verses
place us at the time and sacred space of the event on which we are meditating
and which we relive: we are in the sixth month from the conception of John the
Baptist and in Nazareth , a city in Galilee , the land of the marginalized and unclean. Here
God has come down to speak with a virgin, to speak to our hearts.
The persons involved in this
unsettling event are presented to us: Gabriel, the messenger of God, a young
woman called Mary and her spouse Joseph of the royal house of David. We too are
made welcome into this company and are called to enter into the mystery.
vv. 28-29: These are the very
first words of the dialogue between God and his creature. Just a few words, a
mere breath, but all-powerful words that disturb the heart, that question
deeply the meaning of human life, plans and expectations. The angel announces
joy, grace and the presence of God; Mary is disturbed and asks herself how can
any of this be happening to her. Where can such a joy come from? How can such a
great grace, that can change her very being, be hers?
vv. 30-33: These are the central
verses of the excerpt: it is the explosion of the announcement, the
manifestation of the gift of God, of his omnipotence in the life of human
beings. Gabriel, the strong, speaks of Jesus: the eternal king, the Saviour,
the God made child, the humble all-powerful. He speaks of Mary, of her womb, of
her life that she was chosen to be the gateway to welcoming God in this world
and into the lives of all people. Even at this stage of the events, God begins
to draw near, to knock. He stands, attentive, by the door of the heart of Mary;
and even now by our house, our hearts…
v. 34: Mary, faced by God’s
proposal, allows herself to stand naked, she allows herself to be read to her
very depths. She speaks of herself, her heart, her wishes. She knows that for
God the impossible is possible, she does not doubt or harden her heart and
mind, she does not count the cost; she only wants to be fully available, open,
and allows herself to be reached by that humanly impossible touch, but one
already written, already realised in God. In a gesture of utter poverty, she
places before God her virginity, her not knowing man. This is a complete and
absolute surrender of self, full of faith and trust. It is her preliminary yes.
vv. 35-37: God, most humble,
gives an answer; the all-powerful bends over the fragility of this woman, who
represents each one of us. The dialogue continues, the covenant grows and is
strengthened. God reveals the how, he speaks of the Holy Spirit, of the
fruitful overshadowing, which does no violence, does not break, but preserves
intact. He speaks of the human experience of Elisabeth, he reveals another
impossible thing made possible; almost like a guarantee or security. And then
comes the last word when one must make a choice: to say yes or no, believe or
doubt, dissolve or harden oneself, to open the door or close it. “Nothing is
impossible for God”.
v. 38: The last verse seems to
contain an infinity. Mary says her “Here I am”, she opens herself wide to God
and then the meeting, the union takes place forever. God enters into the human
and the human becomes the place of God: these are the most sublime Nuptials
possible on earth. And yet, the Gospel ends on a sad and hard note: Mary stays
alone, the angel leaves. What remains, however, is the yes pronounced to God
and God’s presence; what remains is real Life.
c) The Text:
In the sixth month the angel
Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth
3. A moment of prayerful silence
I have read and listened to the
words of the Gospel. Now I stand in silence … God is present, at the door, and
asks for shelter, yes, even from me and from my poor life …
4. A few questions
a) God’s announcement, his
angel, enters my life, stands before me and speaks to me. Am I prepared to
welcome him, to give him space, to listen to him attentively?
b) Suddenly I receive an
upsetting announcement; God speaks to me of joy, grace and presence. All the
things that I have been seeking for so long, always. Who can make me really
happy? Am I willing to trust in his happiness and his presence?
c) Not much is needed, just a
movement of the heart, of my being; He is already aware of this. He is already
overwhelming me with light and love. He says to me: “You have found favour in
my sight”. So, I please God? He finds me pleasant, loveable? Yes, that is how
it really is. Why is it that I would not believe it before? Why have I not
listened to him?
d) The Lord Jesus wants to come
into this world also through me; he wants to reach my brothers and sisters
through the paths of my life, of my being. Would I lead him astray? Would I
refuse him, keep him at a distance? Would I wipe him out of my story, my life?
5. A key to the reading
Some important and strong words
that resonate in this passage of the Gospel.
● Rejoice!
This is a really strange
greeting from God to his creature; it seems hard to explain and perhaps even
senseless. And yet, for centuries it resonated in the pages of Sacred Scripture
and thus also on the lips of the Hebrew people. Rejoice, be glad, exult! Many
times the prophets had repeated this gentle breath of God and had shouted the
silent beat of his heart for his people, his remnant. I read this in Joel:
“Land, do not be afraid; be glad, rejoice, for Yahweh has done great things…
(2: 21-23); in Zephaniah: “Shout for joy, daughter of Zion , Israel Jerusalem Zion
● The Lord is with you
These simple and enlightened
words pronounced by the angel to Mary, liberate an all-powerful force; I
realise that these words alone would suffice to save my life, to lift me up
again from whatever fall or humiliation, to bring me back when I go astray. The
fact that He, my Lord, is with me, keeps me alive, gives me courage and trust
to go on being. If I am, it is because He is with me. Who knows but that the
experience of Isaac told in Scripture might not be valid for me, the most
beautiful thing imaginable that could happen to a person who believes in and
loves God, when one day Abimelech came to Isaac with his men to tell him: “It
became clear to us that Yahweh was with you” (Gen 26: 28) and then asked to
become friends and form an alliance. Would that the same thing might be said of
me; would that I could show that the Lord is truly with me, in my life, in my
desires, in my affections, in my choices and actions; would that others might
meet Him through me. Perhaps for this, it is necessary for me to absorb more
the presence of God, for me to eat and drink of Him.
Let me go to the school of Scripture
● Do not be afraid
The Bible is packed with this
pronouncement full of kindness; like a river of mercy, these words are found
throughout the sacred books, from Genesis to the Apocalypse. It is the Father
who repeats to his children not to be afraid, because He is with them, he will
not abandon them, he will not forget them, He will not leave them in the hands
of their enemies. It is like a declaration of love from God to humanity, to
each one of us; it is a pledge of fidelity that is relayed from hand to hand,
from heart to heart, and finally comes down to us. Abraham heard these words
and after him his son Isaac, then the patriarchs, Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon
and, with them, Jeremiah and all the prophets. No one is excluded from this
embrace of salvation that the Father offers his children, even those furthest
from him, most rebellious against him. Mary knows how to listen to these words
and knows how to believe full of faith, in an attitude of absolute surrender;
She listens and believes, welcomes and lives for us too. She is the strong and
courageous woman who opens herself to the coming of God, letting go of all
fears, incredulity and a closed spirit. She repeats these same words of God in
our lives and invites us to believe like her.
● You enjoy God’s favour
“Lord, if I enjoy favour in your
sight…”. This is the prayer that time and time again comes out of the lips and
hearts of those who seek refuge in the Lord; the Scriptures tell us about such
people, we come across them in our crossroads when we know not where to go,
when we feel hounded by solitude or by temptation, when we experience
abandonment, betrayals, heavy defeats of our own existence. When we no longer
have anyone and we fail to find even ourselves, then we too, like them, find
ourselves praying by repeating these same words: “Lord, if I enjoy favour in
your sight…”. Who knows how often we have repeated these words, even alone and
in silence. But today, here, in this simple passage of the Gospel, we are
forestalled, we are welcomed in anticipation; we need no longer plead, because
we have already found everything that we always sought and much more. We have
received freely, we are overwhelmed and now we can overflow.
● Nothing is impossible to God
I have nearly come to the end of
this strong journey of grace and liberation; I now come across a word that
shakes me in my depths. My faith is being sifted; the Lord is testing me,
scrutinising me, testing my heart. What the angel says here in front of Mary,
had already been proclaimed many times in the Old Testament; now the time has
come for the fulfilment, now all the impossible things come to pass. God
becomes man; the Lord becomes friend, brother; the distant is very close. And
I, even I, small and poor as I am, am given to share in the immensity of this
gift, this grace; I am told that in my life too the impossible becomes
possible. I only have to believe, to give my consent. But this means that I
have to allow myself to be shattered by the power of God; to surrender to Him,
who will transform me, free me and renew me. Not even this is impossible. Yes,
I can be reborn today, here and now, by the grace of the voice that has spoken
to me, that has reached me even to the very depths of my heart. I seek and
transcribe the passages of Scripture that repeat this truth. And as I write
them, as I re-read them and say them slowly, devouring every word, and what
they say takes place in me… Genesis 18: 14; Job 42: 2; Jeremiah 32: 17;
Jeremiah 32: 27; Zechariah 8: 6; Matthew 19: 26; Luke 18: 27.
● Here I am
Now I cannot escape, nor can I
avoid the conclusion. I knew from the beginning that here, in this word, so
small and yet so full, so final, that God was waiting for me. The appointment
of love, of the covenant between Him and me had been fixed precisely on this
word, just a gentle voice, just a kiss. I am unsettled by the richness of the
presence I feel in this “Here I am!”; I need not make much effort to recall the
number of times that God first pronounced and repeated these words to me. He is
the ‘Here I am’ made man, absolutely faithful, unforgettable. I only need to
tune into him, only find his footprints in the sand of my poverty, of my
desert; I only need to welcome his infinite love that never ceases to seek me,
to stay close to me, to walk with me wherever I go. The ‘Here I am’ has already
been pronounced and realised, it is already real. How many before me and how
many today have experienced this! I am not alone. I still remain silent,
listening before I reply…
“Here I am!” (Is 65: 1) God
repeats; Mary replies, “Here I am, I am the servant of the Lord”; and Christ
says, “I come to do your will” (Ps 39: 8)…
6. A time of prayer: Psalm 138
Ref. Father, into your hands I
commend my life.
Yahweh, you examine me and know
me,
you know when I sit, when I
rise,
you understand my thoughts from
afar.
You watch when I walk or lie
down,
you know every detail of my
conduct.
A word is not yet on my tongue
before you,
Yahweh, know all about it.
You fence me in, behind and in
front,
you have laid your hand upon me.
Such amazing knowledge is beyond
me,
a height to which I cannot
attain.
Where shall I go to escape your
spirit?
Where shall I flee from your
presence?
If I scale the heavens you are
there,
if I lie flat in Sheol, there you
are.
You created my inmost self,
knit me together in my mother's
womb.
For so many marvels I thank you;
a wonder am I, and all your
works are wonders.
You knew me through and through,
How hard for me to grasp your
thoughts,
how many, God, there are!
If I count them, they are more
than the grains of sand;
if I come to an end, I am still
with you.
God, examine me and know my
heart,
test me and know my concerns.
Make sure that I am not on my
way to ruin,
and guide me on the road of
eternity.
7. Closing prayer
Father, you came down to me, you
have come to me, you have touched my heart, you have spoken to me and promised
joy, presence and salvation. By the grace of the Holy Spirit, who overshadows
me, I, together with Mary, have been able to say to you yes, the ‘Here I am’ of
my life for you. Now there remains only the force of your promise, of your
truth: “You are to conceive and bear Jesus”. Lord, here is the womb of my life,
of my being, of all that I am and have, open before you. I place all things in
you, in your heart. Enter, come, come down again, I beg you, and make me
fruitful, make me one who gives birth to Christ in this world. May the
overflowing love I receive from you find its fullness and truth in touching the
brothers and sisters that you place beside me. May our meeting, Father, be
open, a gift to all. May Jesus be the Saviour. Amen.
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