Tuesday, March 25 : Saint Bernard

« The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee, called Nazareth. » Are you surprised that a little town like Nazareth should be honoured by a message from a great King – and what a message! Yet a great treasure is concealed in this little town: hidden from men but not from God. Isn’t Mary God’s treasure? Wherever she goes, the heart of God goes with her. His eyes are upon her; he never ceases to look upon his lowly handmaid. If God the Father’s only Son knows heaven, he knows Nazareth too. How could he not know his country and his inheritance? He has heaven from his Father, Nazareth from his mother, for he claims to be both Son of David and the Lord (Mt 22,42f.)… “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God.” O what grace! A grace that is full, unique, exceptional… and all the more exceptional in that it is for all… A unique grace since you alone, O Mary, have its plenitude: “Most blessed are you among women and blessed the fruit of your womb” (Lk 1,42). For you alone he is the fruit of your womb, but through your mediation he comes to all of us… In you alone did this wealthiest of Kings strip himself, this great sovereign humble himself, this infinite God make himself small. He made himself lower than the angels (Heb 2,7); true God and Son of God, he became flesh. But why? To enrich us by his poverty, raise us up by his humility, make us greater by becoming small for our sake. He united us to God by becoming man so that we might begin to be one spirit with him (2Cor 8,9; 1Cor 6,17).

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team