for our sins and to redeem us. The time appointed by God's providence,
when this great work was to be consummated, had now come. Mary, in the
divine counsels, is destined to be the mother of the Saviour. The
celestial messenger appears to bring this message to her, and to obtain
her consent. God desired that Mary should voluntarily cooperate in the
redemption.

Mary cooperated in our redemption by proving herself worthy to be
called to the divine motherhood, as far as this is possible for a human
being. This she did by cooperating faithfully with the abundance of
grace granted her by God, and thus proving herself worthy to become the
mother of the Saviour. Through her virginity she rendered herself
worthy according to the body, and through her most profound piety and
humility according to the spirit. Both virtues stand forth most
brilliantly in the annunciation of the angel. But she wished rather to
forego the exalted dignity of divine motherhood, than relinquish the
virginity which she had dedicated to God. And when the highest dignity
which can be bestowed upon a creature was announced to her, she called
herself the handmaid of the Lord. Mary, when convinced of the will of
God, humbly consented, saying, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it
done unto me according to thy word."

Through this consent Mary conferred upon the world an unspeakable great
blessing, for which we should be eternally grateful to her. By this
consent she became the second Eve, me spiritual first parent of the
redeemed race.

The angel, recognizing in Mary his future queen, now reverently set
forth in brief words all the prerogatives which God had granted her,
and was about to bestow upon her. These prerogatives are: (1) the