Mary is inseparably united to the greatest prayer the world has ever known

Mary is present with the Church and as Mother of the Church, at each of our celebrations of the Eucharist. If the Church and the Eucharist are inseparably united, the same ought to be said of Mary and the Eucharist. — Pope Saint John Paul II 

The Incarnation Required Mary’s Acceptance 

“By the power of the Holy Spirit He was Born of the Virgin Mary, and became Man.” —Nicene Creed 

Like all great creeds of the early Church, the Nicene Creed has the basic structure of a profession of faith in the triune God. It’s essential character is that of saying Yes to the living God as our Lord, the God from whom we have life and to whom our life returns. 

“When we talk of the living God, it means: This God shows himself to us; he looks out from eternity into time and puts himself into relationship with us . . . without Mary the entire process of God’s stepping into history would fail of its object, would fail to achieve that very thing which is central in the Creed—that God is a God with us and not just a God in himself and for himself. Thus, the woman who described herself as a lowly, that is a nameless, woman (Luke 1:48), stands beside the living God at the heart of the Creed, and it is inconceivable that she should not. She has an indisputable place in our living and acting God. The Word becomes flesh—the eternal foundation of the world’s significance enters into it. He does not just observe it from without; he himself becomes an active agent within it. For this to be able to happen, the Virgin was needed, who made available her whole person, that is, her body, herself, that it might become the place of God’s dwelling in the world. The Incarnation required acceptance. Only thus could Word and flesh become truly one.” —Pope Benedict XVI, God Is Near Us, 2003 

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How shall this be, since I have no husband?” And the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 

And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. —Luke 1:26-38 

Silent Reflection and Discernment 

Mary is extraordinary in that her “yes” was pure, untainted by the limitations of sin and compromise. How does the Indwelling Christ help prepare us to answer God’s call?