Let us ponder this profound Mystery of God's Love for us that God Himself would empty Himself and take upon Himself our flesh and blood through the very real cooperation of the Blessed Mother. Below is the Gospel from Luke 1:26-38:

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee 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.

What about you and me? Do we say yes to God with our whole heart and soul as Mary did? Listen in your heart. Do you hear God inviting you to do something? Is He waiting on your YES?

One prayer you might like to us is The Angelus. It's the above Gospel in dialogue form. The leader proclaims the first line; everyone else responds with the bold line and then all pray the Hail Mary. Over the Centuries Christians pray this at 6:00 AM, Noon, and 6:00 PM. What about you? Can you pray this at least once a day during these days of Pilgrimage?

The Angelus

The angel of the Lord declared to Mary!
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. Hail Mary...

Behold the handmaid of the Lord!
Be it done to me according to your word. Hail Mary...

And the Word was made flesh!
And dwelled among us. Hail Mary

Pray for us, O holy mother of God! That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let Us Pray Pour forth we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, your Son, was made known by the message of an angel may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection through Christ our Lord, Amen.