Feast on Faith--Annunciation

Today is the celebration of one of the critical moments in the Christian story: how will Mary answer the news that she is the human girl who will carry in her womb God made man in manifest?
As I consider this moment for her... I think about how I respond to the impossible expectations I sometimes feel that I am being asked to do. How do I meet those challenges? Do I have faith that God is with me until the end of the age as promised throughout the Old Testament and at the conclusion of Matthew's gospel? Or do I look for the nearest ship to stow away in, or cave in which to hide from the Jezebels who would have my life snuffed out?
We don't worship Mary. But given her young age, we should recognize the incredible amount of faith it must have taken for her to hear what was being asked and respond, "Here am I" and not "I'm outta here." May we all lean into that faith as we face 'the world'!

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
-- Canticle 15, Magnificat, The Song of Mary