Intention: 
Mary is troubled by the Angel Gabriel’s greeting, but still, Mary rejoices to do the Lord’s Will. Let us pray that all mothers who conceive a child may place their trust in God our Father, and know that the little one they have conceived, no matter what circumstances were in place, should be nourished and protected. 

Scripture: 
And Mary said, ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to Thy Word.’ 

– Luke 1: 38 

Reflection: 
Our mother is a model of correspondence to grace. If we contemplate her life, our Lord will give us the light we need to divinize our everyday existence. Throughout the year when we celebrate feasts dedicated to Mary, such as the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and frequently on other days, we Christians can think of our Mother Mary. If we take advantage of these moments, trying to imagine how she would conduct herself in our circumstances, we will make steady progress in defeating the culture of death in Ireland. 

The scene of the Annunciation is a very lovely one. Mary is recollected in prayer. She is using all her senses and her faculties to speak to God. It is in prayer that she comes to know the Divine Will. With prayer she makes it the life of her life. Do not forget the example of our Mother Mary. 

The Nativity story has all of the elements of a crisis pregnancy situation that one might see at a FPA in Belfast or Derry. A young mother, hopeful about her future but unsure what impact an unplanned pregnancy will have on it. A father who isn’t quite ready to become one. A couple who don’t believe they have the resources or capacity to care for a child they never expected. 

In this trying time for Ireland and world, with the promotion of abortion reaching historic proportions across the world, the uplifting story of the birth of Jesus brings us real hope for the future of Ireland and an assurance that God has a plan. 

Prayer: 
Father, I need a place to rest my head, as the world can cause me so much distress and worry about children who are as yet, unborn. Reflecting on the words of Our Lady, ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to Thy Word’, Mary simply answered, ‘Yes, Thy Will be done’. Teach me to answer yes in every present moment, so I may submit myself totally in trust to Your Divine Will in protecting the little ones. 

I bring to You all mothers who are afraid because of their pregnancy; may You grant them the courage to trust in Your Will, so they may choose Life and answer, ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to Thy Word’. I make this prayer through the wounds of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Eternal Father, I offer You the Body, the Blood, the Soul and the Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins and the sins of the whole world. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. Amen.