According to Divine Will

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, challenge us to adopt the faith of Mary as we seek to surrender to the Will of God in the midst of our tendency to be distracted by the traditions and ways of humans.

St Mary's Basilica 

In the Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, Ahaz is offered a sign to trust in God.

* [7:14] Isaiah’s sign seeks to reassure Ahaz that he need not fear the invading armies of Syria and Israel in the light of God’s promise to David (2 Sm 7:12–16). The oracle follows a traditional announcement formula by which the birth and sometimes naming of a child is promised to particular individuals (Gn 16:11; Jgs 13:3). The young woman: Hebrew ‘almah designates a young woman of marriageable age without specific reference to virginity. The Septuagint translated the Hebrew term as parthenos, which normally does mean virgin, and this translation underlies Mt 1:23. Emmanuel: the name means “with us is God.” Since for the Christian the incarnation is the ultimate expression of God’s willingness to “be with us,” it is understandable that this text was interpreted to refer to the birth of Christ. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 40 offers an enthusiastic proclamation of the salvation just experienced.

* [Psalm 40] A thanksgiving (Ps 40:2–13) has been combined with a lament (Ps 40:14–17) that appears also in Ps 70. The psalmist describes the rescue in spatial terms—being raised up from the swampy underworld to firm earth where one can praise God (Ps 40:2–4). All who trust God will experience like protection (Ps 40:5–6)! The Psalm stipulates the precise mode of thanksgiving: not animal sacrifice but open and enthusiastic proclamation of the salvation just experienced (Ps 40:7–11). A prayer for protection concludes (Ps 40:12–17). (Psalms, PSALM 40 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews presents sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings.

* [10:5–7] A passage from Ps 40:7–9 is placed in the mouth of the Son at his incarnation. As usual, the author follows the Septuagint text. There is a notable difference in Heb 10:5 (Ps 40:6), where the Masoretic text reads “ears you have dug for me” (“ears open to obedience you gave me,” NAB), but most Septuagint manuscripts have “a body you prepared for me,” a reading obviously more suited to the interpretation of Hebrews.

* [10:8] Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings: these four terms taken from the preceding passage of Ps 40 (with the first two changed to plural forms) are probably intended as equivalents to the four principal types of Old Testament sacrifices: peace offerings (Lv 3, here called sacrifices); cereal offerings (Lv 2, here called offerings); holocausts (Lv 1); and sin offerings (Lv 4–5). This last category includes the guilt offerings of Lv 5:14–19. (Hebrews, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Mary surrenders to the announcement of her role in the Birth of Jesus.

* [1:26–38] The announcement to Mary of the birth of Jesus is parallel to the announcement to Zechariah of the birth of John. In both the angel Gabriel appears to the parent who is troubled by the vision (Lk 1:11–12, 26–29) and then told by the angel not to fear (Lk 1:13, 30). After the announcement is made (Lk 1:14–17, 31–33) the parent objects (Lk 1:18, 34) and a sign is given to confirm the announcement (Lk 1:20, 36). The particular focus of the announcement of the birth of Jesus is on his identity as Son of David (Lk 1:32–33) and Son of God (Lk 1:32, 35).

* [1:32] Son of the Most High: cf. Lk 1:76 where John is described as “prophet of the Most High.” “Most High” is a title for God commonly used by Luke (Lk 1:35, 76; 6:35; 8:28; Acts 7:48; 16:17).

* [1:34] Mary’s questioning response is a denial of sexual relations and is used by Luke to lead to the angel’s declaration about the Spirit’s role in the conception of this child (Lk 1:35). According to Luke, the virginal conception of Jesus takes place through the holy Spirit, the power of God, and therefore Jesus has a unique relationship to Yahweh: he is Son of God.

* [1:36–37] The sign given to Mary in confirmation of the angel’s announcement to her is the pregnancy of her aged relative Elizabeth. If a woman past the childbearing age could become pregnant, why, the angel implies, should there be doubt about Mary’s pregnancy, for nothing will be impossible for God. (Luke, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rev. Larry Gillick, SJ, comments that today we watch the acceptance in faith of the invitation to do God’s will by a questioning young woman of Nazareth. She has good questions and excuses, as do all those who have been called to surrender to God’s ways.

Here, as the end of Lent nears, we are confronted with God’s invitations to us to do what we believe is doing the “will of God.”  We do not have angels announcing that will to us, but we do believe we have God’s grace to sense, and respond to, the invitations to give Grace a space and a face.  To do God’s will is to make human choices which reflect our belief that what we are doing is God’s Will.  As with Mary, we trust that what we are doing is what God wills. Trusting then is God’s will, trusting that God will be freed. (Gillick, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Do you wish to be great?,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"Just imagine the incredible kindness and mercy! He was the only Son, but He did not want to remain alone. So that humans might be born of God God was born of humans. Begotten of God is He through Whom we were created - Born of a woman is He through Whom we are to be re-created. The Word first wished to be born of humans, so that you might be assured of being born of God" (excerpt from Sermon on John 2, 13) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the reading from Isaiah is the story of Ahaz being urged to ask for a sign from the Lord as Jerusalem is besieged and needs assistance. Isaiah asserts God would send him a sign to trust in the Lord rather than the emperor of Assyria. In the Hebrew text, a maiden will birth Immanuel whose name means “God is with us“ Isaiah sees this as a continuous repetition of the offer of God to rescue. In the Letter to the Hebrews the sacrifices of bulls and goats will be no more but the Son would reestablish the union with God. Gabriel visits Mary proclaiming “Hail, Full of grace” in perfect tense in Greek indicating Mary has always been full of grace as celebrated in the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. Mary would conceive and bear “Yeshua” the Son of God, a hero of Davidic lineage. Joseph and Mary were both descendants of David. The angel explains this to Mary and unlike Zechariah, who had heard his prayer had been answered, Mary as the New Ark would be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit. In Luke’s Gospel Jesus is the actual Son of God and not being proclaimed with an honorific title. Friar Jude concludes that in fact Mary, the handmaid of the Lord, has Jesus become present through an act of surrender, a free will act, presenting her to be totally available to God’s plan.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 1:26-38 invites us to imagine the relief as Mary tells the angel, “May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). God, in his mysterious providence, invited her to participate in his awesome plan of salvation. He could have accomplished his plan without her, but he didn’t want to. Instead, he desired the free and willing assent of this blessed woman who was full of grace.

We, too, are invited to say yes to God throughout our lives so that we can build a habit of cooperation with the Holy Spirit. Each of us is vital to God’s plan taking on flesh in our world. Every time we say, “May it be done to me” as Mary did, we become blessed participants in God’s plan of salvation. When we are criticized and want to respond in kind but we say yes to the Spirit’s invitation to hold our tongue, heaven rejoices. When we see someone who is hurting and feel the call to stop what we’re doing and listen to their story, we bring Jesus to them. When we respond to the Spirit and welcome a needy child into our home, our choice changes the world around us. Jesus is made visible with our every yes to God!

“Blessed Mother, Mary, help me to bring Christ into the world around me!” (Meditation on Luke 1:26-38, n.d.)

Brian McLaren uses a psalm of Exile, Psalm 137, as an example of the importance of how we read the Bible—as the literal word of God or as an expression of God’s people and their experience of God—makes a significant difference in who we think God is.

We dare to listen deeply, to understand and empathize, to put ourselves in the shoes of those who suffer and feel their fury and despair.  

And we don’t stop there either: then we see how oppression and revenge, if we let them take over, create vicious cycles that grow uglier and more catastrophic. We imagine how in our future, we could repeat the worst mistakes of our past.

Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites

the day of Jerusalem’s fall,

how they said, “Tear it down! Tear it down!

Down to its foundations!”

O daughter Babylon, you devastator!

Happy shall they be who pay you back

what you have done to us!

Happy shall they be who take your little ones

and dash them against the rock!(Psalm 137:7–9)

Then we are ready to take our stand: If we want to break out of the vicious, violent cycles of our history, we must develop a new way of reading the Bible, a new way of seeing, a new way of being.

That’s why, in a sense, Psalm 137 is like an eye exam: What we see there tells us how well we see. (McLaren, n.d.)

 

We seek the wisdom of the Spirit to guide our understanding of surrender to the Will of God as that of Mary who prayed “Let it be done to me, according to Your Will”

References

Gillick, L. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved March 25, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-march-25-2026 

Hebrews, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 25, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/10? 

Isaiah, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 25, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/7?10 

Luke, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 25, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1? 

McLaren, B. (n.d.). Psalms of Exile: An Eye Exam. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 25, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/psalms-of-exile-an-eye-exam/ 

Meditation on Luke 1:26-38. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved March 25, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/03/25/1525811/ 

Psalms, PSALM 40 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 25, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/40? 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). You Have Found Favor with God. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 25, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Servants United in the Lord

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to pray to discern the role to which we are being called today as we join the wider Christian Community to serve the Way of the Lord.

United in the Lord

The Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah presents The Servant of the Lord.

* [49:1–7] The second of the four “servant of the Lord” oracles (cf. note on 42:1–4).

* [49:1] Gave me my name: designated me for a special task or mission (cf. Jer 1:5).

* [49:3] Israel: the servant is identified with the people of Israel as their ideal representative; however, vv. 5–6 seem to distinguish the servant from Israel.

* [49:6] The servant’s vocation extends beyond the restoration of Israel in order to bring the knowledge of Israel’s God to the rest of the earth; cf. Lk 2:32. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 49 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 40 praises the open and enthusiastic proclamation of the salvation just experienced.

* [Psalm 40] A thanksgiving (Ps 40:2–13) has been combined with a lament (Ps 40:14–17) that appears also in Ps 70. The psalmist describes the rescue in spatial terms—being raised up from the swampy underworld to firm earth where one can praise God (Ps 40:2–4). All who trust God will experience like protection (Ps 40:5–6)! The Psalm stipulates the precise mode of thanksgiving: not animal sacrifice but open and enthusiastic proclamation of the salvation just experienced (Ps 40:7–11). A prayer for protection concludes (Ps 40:12–17).

* [40:4] A new song: a song in response to the new action of God (cf. Ps 33:3; 96:1; 144:9; 149:1; Is 42:10). Giving thanks is not purely a human response but is itself a divine gift.

* [40:7–9] Obedience is better than sacrifice (cf. 1 Sm 15:22; Is 1:10–20; Hos 6:6; Am 5:22–25; Mi 6:6–8; Acts 7:42–43 [quoting Am 5:25–26]). Heb 10:5–9 quotes the somewhat different Greek version and interprets it as Christ’s self-oblation. (Psalms, PSALM 40 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Reading from the First Letter to the Corinthians is from Paul’s Greeting.

* [1:1–9] Paul follows the conventional form for the opening of a Hellenistic letter (cf. Rom 1:1–7), but expands the opening with details carefully chosen to remind the readers of their situation and to suggest some of the issues the letter will discuss.

* [1:1] Called…by the will of God: Paul’s mission and the church’s existence are grounded in God’s initiative. God’s call, grace, and fidelity are central ideas in this introduction, emphasized by repetition and wordplays in the Greek. (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of John presents the Baptist’s Testimony to Jesus.

* [1:29] The Lamb of God: the background for this title may be the victorious apocalyptic lamb who would destroy evil in the world (Rev 5–7; 17:14); the paschal lamb, whose blood saved Israel (Ex 12); and/or the suffering servant led like a lamb to the slaughter as a sin-offering (Is 53:7, 10).

* [1:30] He existed before me: possibly as Elijah (to come, Jn 1:27); for the evangelist and his audience, Jesus’ preexistence would be implied (see note on Jn 1:1).

* [1:31] I did not know him: this gospel shows no knowledge of the tradition (Lk 1) about the kinship of Jesus and John the Baptist. The reason why I came baptizing with water: in this gospel, John’s baptism is not connected with forgiveness of sins; its purpose is revelatory, that Jesus may be made known to Israel.

* [1:32] Like a dove: a symbol of the new creation (Gn 8:8) or the community of Israel (Hos 11:11). Remain: the first use of a favorite verb in John, emphasizing the permanency of the relationship between Father and Son (as here) and between the Son and the Christian. Jesus is the permanent bearer of the Spirit.

* [1:34] The Son of God: this reading is supported by good Greek manuscripts, including the Chester Beatty and Bodmer Papyri and the Vatican Codex, but is suspect because it harmonizes this passage with the synoptic version: “This is my beloved Son” (Mt 3:17; Mk 1:11; Lk 3:22). The poorly attested alternate reading, “God’s chosen One,” is probably a reference to the Servant of Yahweh (Is 42:1). (John, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rev. Jim Caime, SJ, shares how humour gives him just enough space to ask a more honest question: Where might God be inviting me to grow, not by doing more, but by seeing differently?

I don’t hear this as God demanding more effort or higher achievement. I hear it as God seeing more possibility than we often allow ourselves to see. The invitation is not to strive harder, but to trust that God’s imagination for our lives exceeds our own.

At 64, I can look back and see things I never imagined I would do. Much of what has shaped me unfolded beyond anything I planned. That helps me remember that what lies ahead is still unknown, even when I think I have a plan. And I’ve learned not to assume that the unknown is a problem.

So perhaps the question Isaiah leaves us with this week is not, “Am I doing enough?” but something simpler and more honest: Where might God be inviting me to see my life with God’s eyes, rather than my own measurements? (Caime, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “John points to Jesus' saving mission,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

"No longer does John need to 'prepare the way,' since the one for whom the preparation was being made is right there before his eyes... But now he who of old was dimly pictured, the very Lamb, the spotless Sacrifice, is led to the slaughter for all, that he might drive away the sin of the world, that he might overturn the destroyer of the earth, that dying for all he might annihilate death, that he might undo the curse that is upon us... For one Lamb died for all (2 Corinthians 5:14), saving the whole flock on earth to God the Father, one for all, that he might subject all to God." (excerpt from the COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.1) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 Today we begin the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and this year’s theme comes from Ephesians 4:4: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling.” That might remind you of today’s first reading. We are called, and that calling changes us. It’s meant to lead us to unity with everyone who belongs to Jesus. It’s meant to urge us to love each other to the point that we’re united.

So how do we start? A first step is to let Jesus help you see and love other Christians as fellow members of his body. So for the rest of this week, join believers around the world in praying the daily prayers for unity. You can find them starting on page 10 of this magazine.

“Lord, make us one in you!” (Meditation on 1 Corinthians 1:1-3, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that Isaiah 49 is one of the songs of the Suffering Servant from Second Isaiah This servant is to raise up Israel and a light to the nations. Who is referred to here? Jesus used the vocabulary of the Suffering Servant to refer to Himself. Paul’s introduction to the Corinthians speaks to a port city with many troubles. As many as four letters from Paul repeat the name of Jesus in a community that thought the Holy Spirit was superior to Jesus. The Baptist calls Jesus the Lamb of God This phrase in Aramaic is used for “Servant of God” too. The Holy Spirit descended and remained on Jesus the Spirit as a dove, a symbol of Love in The Hebrew Testament. Friar Jude describes the Holy Spirit as the Love between Father and Son and for us. Christian Baptism is different from the Baptism of John as it is an invitation into the life of the Trinity.

Father Richard Rohr comments that great traditions always call people on a journey of faith to keep changing. There’s no other way the human person can open up to all that God is asking of us.

Immediately after he begins preaching, Jesus calls his first four disciples. Jesus just says, “Follow me” and immediately they leave their nets and follow him (Matthew 4:19–20). But today, the way I see people transformed doesn’t happen this quickly. Maybe it happened that way with Jesus and the disciples; I don’t want to say that it didn’t. A true disciple will have that kind of readiness. Most of us, though, would prefer some process of conversion, a series of conversations over a few weeks, with Jesus saying, “Hey, I’m into something new. Do you want to be a part of it? Let’s go.”

I hope we realize that we’re all called to discipleship. We hope that the point comes when we’re ready to let go of our nets: our sense of self, our security systems, and the way it’s always been. Fishing is Simon (Peter) and Andrew’s economic livelihood, and Jesus says to let go of it. He says, “I’m going to teach you how to fish in a new way, to fish for people” (Matthew 4:19). What he means is that he’s going to give them a new vocation. Hearing this Gospel passage, I hope we’re inspired to ask, “What is God asking us to do? Where is God asking us to go?” (Rohr, n.d.)

We join the Christian Community as anointed in Baptism as priest, prophet and leader presenting the Way of Jesus to the environment in which we are called to be a sign of love.

References

Caime, J. (n.d.). Daily Reflections. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved January 18, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/ 

Isaiah, CHAPTER 49 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 18, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/49?3=#29049003 

John, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 18, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/1?29=#51001029 

Meditation on 1 Corinthians 1:1-3. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved January 18, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/01/18/1482253/ 

1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 18, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/1?1=#54001001 

Psalms, PSALM 40 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 18, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/40?2 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Follow Me. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 18, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/follow-me/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Behold the Lamb of God! Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 18, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/