The simplicity of today's Gospel is deceiving. Yet, at the moment that Mary said those words, "I am the slave girl of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me", she immediately became the mother of the Son of God. With that 'Yes', the divine life began to develop within her spotless womb. For us Christians, it is the key moment in history, when God came to live among us as one of us so that, through the humanity of Jesus, we might be shown the way to God, the goal of all our existence.

We can also express our thanks to Mary for her acceptance of this extraordinary invitation and request. Theoretically, she could have said No. As it was, she was deeply puzzled at what it really meant and it would only be over the course of the following years she would realise both the joys and sorrows it would bring. In the end, of course, with the resurrection of her Son, there was nothing but joy and perfect union. He was both her Son and her Lord. Her 'Yes' remained loyal to Him to the very end. May we say Yes to what God calls us so that one day we, too, may be united with both of them.