Fiat: Your Will Be Done

On this the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we read about the Annunciation of our Mother Mary. The gospel reading of the Annunciation is juxtaposed with the first reading which tells the story of David seeking to build a proper temple for the Ark of the Covenant. Together today's readings demonstrate a connection between the Old and the New Covenants.

"With her generous 'fiat' (Mary) became, through the working of the Spirit, the Mother of God, but also the Mother of the living, and, by receiving into her womb the one Mediator, she became the true Ark of the Covenant and true Temple of God" (Paul VI, "Marialis Cultus", 6).

Additionally, we are given a perfect example of how we are to respond to God's calling - fiat.