I am the handmaid of the Lord

Mary is human like all of us. But unlike us, she was completely open to God’s will. God did not impose his will on her. She was asked, and she consented. She was free to say No to God, but she saw herself as a humble maidservant open to obey the Lord’s bidding. She must have taken to heart the words of the psalmist, which would later be said of Jesus:

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“As is written of me in the scroll, Behold, I come to do your will, 0 God!’ ” (Ps 40:8-9, Heb 10:7). That is why, Mary’s humanity is also our assurance that we too can align our will with God’s. Her participation in the act of God’s will is also our assurance that if we open our hearts to God, we too can enjoy God’s eternal communion. If we only shun our selfish interests, there would be no terrible wars nor domestic strife, no one would be unjustly killed, no one would be deprived of his dignity, and no one would be robbed of his freedom and liberty.