Dear Saints,

This coming Wednesday - exactly nine months before Christmas - is the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. This is the moment the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and revealed to her the extraordinary destiny God had planned for her and her son.

Gabriel’s final words to Mary were: “nothing will be impossible for God.” Because she was full of grace, she fully believed him.

Most of us profess to share Mary’s faith in God’s omnipotence and infinite goodness, yet in practice we tend to hedge our bets, at least a little bit. We doubt that he can (or will) make us happy if we relinquish trivial pursuits; as a result, we maintain a grip on power, pleasure, position, popularity, or some other earthly gain. Yet as Pope Francis once said, “God continues to search for hearts like Mary’s, willing to believe even in quite extraordinary conditions.”

The second half of Lent is a perfect opportunity to conform our hearts to Mary’s. It’s a great time to finally let go of doubt and fear, and to place our complete trust in God so that we, like our Blessed Mother, may say with full conviction and joy: “May it be done to me according to your word.”

Christ’s Peace,

Father Daniel

δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ