We picture Mary at prayer in a simple house in Nazareth. We set the scene as we imagine it might have been. We look at the plain furnishings of the room. We feel the coolness of the air. We hear children playing outside. We notice the smell of baking bread from an oven in the courtyard outside her home.

Then we visualize the angel Gabriel appearing to her. We see the amazement on Mary's face as Gabriel says, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." We listen to the conversation, focusing especially on Mary's words, "here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be done unto me according to your word." We watch as the angel fades from Mary's sight. We ponder how Mary must have felt at the moment when the Holy Spirit descended and the Son of God began to dwell within her. We adore Jesus, the Word-made-flesh. We express our gratitude to Mary for her humble obedience that made possible our redemption.

The Bible background of the Annunciation includes the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist and its effect on John's parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth. Related to the Annunciation also are New Testament teachings on obedience to the will of God. Mary's words, "Let it be done unto me according to your word," call to mind the obedience of Jesus and the words of the Lord's Prayer, "Thy will be done."

As we ponder Mary's humble obedience to God's will, and reflect on other Bible passages related to it, we should discern how this applies to us. Our particular vocation in life is a summons to say yes to God. We examine our conscience, ask God's pardon for failures, thank God for the grace that has enabled us to succeed, and resolve to imitate Mary's generosity and obedience.

We place ourselves in Mary's care and ask her to present us to her Son, by whose grace alone we say, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord."

The above information comes from the book "Christ's Mother & Ours" written by Rev. Oscar Lukefahr, C.M., director of the Catholic Home Study Service.