"Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to Thy word." (Luke 1:38)

Today we celebrate the great feast of the Annunciation of Our Lord--the most important moment in the history of all time: the moment when Our Lord assumed a human nature and became one of us in the womb of Mary. Actually, it's not just a feast day, it's a Solemnity--a day which actually trumps the austerity of Lent and we are encouraged to celebrate with great joy as we lift our Lenten penance obligations. Decadent dessert--here I come!

Our Lady said yes for the human race. Each one of us must echo that yes for our own lives.

When the angel delivered the message to Mary, I'm sure she thought of how difficult things might be for her--to become an unwed pregnant teenager. (Luke 1:34, "how can this be since I have not known man?") She could have easily made the more comfortable choice and said no. But she trusted God and set the supreme example for the rest of us. My goal in my life is to be able to echo and repeat her fiat in everything I do or that happens to me. This I think sums it up. I can't change the fact that I can't get pregnant. I've done what I can to augment my fertility but at the end of the day, it all comes back to this, "Lord, let it be done to me according to your will".

Happy feast day everyone!