Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation of Mary, the Mother of God. This is the day the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would bear the Son of God: an ordinary girl, in an ordinary town, receiving an extraordinary message. And Mary’s response to this unfathomable news was one of humble acceptance. She said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

Friends, St. Mary’s story is not just a beautiful beginning to the greatest story ever told; it’s also a lesson for all of us. In that instant, …