＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Genesis 3: 9-15, 20

 Yahweh God called the man saying to him, “Where are you?”

 He said, “I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”   God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree I ordered you not to eat?”  

The man answered, “The woman you put with me gave me fruit from the tree and I ate it.”  God said to the woman, “What have you done?” The woman said,     “The serpent deceived me and I ate.”

 Yahweh God said to the serpent, “Since you have done that, be cursed among all the cattle and wild beasts! You will crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life.   I will make you enemies, you and the woman, your offspring and her offspring. He will crush your head and you will strike his heel.”

The man called his wife by the name of Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.

 

Ps Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.

 

＊＊＊2nd Reading ＊＊＊

Ephesians 1: 3-6, 11-12

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Luke 1: 26-38

 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent   to a young virgin who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

 The angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.”   Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean.

 But the angel said, “Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you.   You shall conceive and bear a son and you shall call him Jesus.   He will be great and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the kingdom of David, his ancestor; he will rule over the people of Jacob for­­ever   and his reign shall have no end.”

 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be since I am a virgin?”   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 holy child to be born of you

shall be called Son of God.   Even your relative Elizabeth is expecting a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child, and she is now in her sixth month.   With God nothing is impossible.”

 

 Then Mary said, “I am the hand­maid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said.” And the angel left her.

 

Gospel Reflection：

READ：”I am the handmaid of the Lord”

REFLECT：As we celebrate today the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, it is good to remind ourselves how Mary responded to the invitation brought by the Angel Gabriel: “I am the handmaid of the Lord”. It seems that Mary is inviting every believer to reflect that all are handmaids or servants of the Lord. We are called to serve Him in one another. In effect our lives are lives for Service. I am the handmaid of the Lord”. we are called to be like Mary, who was not stingy of herself but gave it for humanity.

PRAY：Lord, make us always understand that our calling is for the service of the Church and humanity. Our Lady has shown us the way: “I am the handmaid of the Lord”. May were ready as well to utter the same words of Mary when we are confronted with challenging tasks ahead.

ACT：Today as a resolve we can also show that readiness to serve others in whatever way we can but most especially when we are asked to carry even the heavy loads of other people.