Excerpt… “…I am the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to your word.” Mary is the example of one who seeks the will of God and chooses to follow it. Mary was told by an angel what God wanted of her. Despite any fear, misgivings or confusion she put her faith in God and accepted the way God was leading her. St. Paul reminds us that Jesus did not come into this world to offer sacrifices and sin offerings, but to do His Father’s will. Through prayer and openness to God’s presence in our lives, we are called to seek God’s will for us. For Mary, an angel shared God’s message with her. God speaks to us in many ways. And we must allow ourselves to listen. Sometimes we hear God in our heart; sometimes that message comes through people who love us and know us well; sometimes the message comes from circumstances or people that surround our daily lives; sometimes it comes from strangers and difficult situations.