From the Center for Action and Contemplation:
MARY, THE PREPARED ONE
“Mary, do not be afraid, you have won God’s favor,” declares the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:30).
The word favor doesn’t say anything about the recipient. Favor says something about the one who is doing the favoring. So it’s really not an evaluation of Mary. It’s saying something about God’s election of Mary. She is one who is the absolutely perfect receiver and refuses to play the “Lord, I am not worthy” card that had become normative in most biblical theophanies. She simply states, “Let it be done unto me” (Luke 1:38). She lets God do all the giving. Her job is to receive such perfect giving.
God does not love you because you are good; God loves you because God is good. God does not love you because you are good; you are good because God loves you.
Starter Prayer: The Almighty has done great things for me.
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