The Annunciation account carries a powerful message. It is about Jesus' identity and God's plan of salvation for the world. It is about Jesus being fully human and fully divine. To align ourselves with the Divine will requires us to be Jesus' true disciples in His suffering and total obedience to God's will. Jesus' "YES" is ours today. We are to listen to God's Word and put it into practice in our lives. This is our identity with Jesus.

Similarly, Mary's YES allowed God to act for the salvation of the whole humanity. Mary listened to God's Word by giving her total YES to God's plan. She was open to whatever was to come. Likewise, our YES to God's will depend on our openness to God's plan.

Like Mary we also experience our limitations and shortcomings, yet with trust in the Lord, all things are possible with the spirit of abandonment to God's will. Mary, our model of discipleship helps us to be imbued with the spirit of self-surrender and self-sacrifice. This is what we pray for everyday as Christians in the world.

In the first reading, we see how this gift of God is fulfilled in the gift of the Messiah –- Jesus, our Saviour who came to bring justice and integrity to all who believe in Him.