The associated reading for this reflection can be found in your Every Sacred Sunday Mass journal or online here.
I am known as a talker. One of my favorite pastimes is getting together with a friend over coffee and chatting about everything: life, what’s going on, hopes and dreams. My prayer time often looks the same, me telling God all my many thoughts and opinions, what’s going on and my requests. But I’ve found in difficult or unexpected times, it can be hard to find the words to express myself to God.
I recently found myself in a difficult situation where my mind drew a blank in prayer. I was mentally speechless and didn’t know what to say to God. After several minutes of mental silence, it’s as if my autopilot kicked in and I unintentionally started reciting the “Hail Mary.” Since my Mom had us pray the Rosary religiously, I don’t even have to think about the words anymore; they come as second nature as riding a bike. This was a lightbulb moment for me: by committing Scripture and prayers to memory, I’m able to tap into that resource when I need it most.
We see this happen in the Annunciation of the angel Gabriel to Mary we read about in today’s Gospel. Most of us are in awe of Mary’s seemingly “automatic” response to being told she will conceive and bear Jesus, Son of the Most High, “May it be done to me according to your word.” We read in the Psalms that David said, “Here I am Lord, I come to do your will.” Mary, as a Jewish girl, would have known the Psalms. She would have had it committed to memory after hearing and possibly reciting it repeatedly. The seed planted of repetitive Scripture made it possible for Mary to draw on these words in a time of great weight and surprise, and even to make the words her own.
This week my challenge for us is to choose a favorite Scripture verse. Read the chapter for context and commit it to memory as Mary did, so that we know it by heart. May we be able to draw on it both in word and action when a surprising or difficult situation arises, or when we are at a loss for words
Catherine Huss is the founder and designer of Siena and Co. Swimwear, women’s swimwear with more coverage made ethically in the US of recycled materials. Her favorite conversations combine Jesus and the modern experiences of fashion, relationships, and pop culture. Learn more about this endeavor at siena-co.com.