Acts 1:12-14 ·
Luke 1:46-55
Luke 1:26-38
‘I am the handmaid of the Lord’
Today, we commemorate the feast of Our Lady of Africa with unwavering reverence. This celebration honors Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, whose dark bronze statue was transported from Lyon to Algiers. Through her intercession, Bishop Dupuch succeeded in establishing a church in Algiers—a feat previously deemed impossible due to the hostility of the local population towards the French. It was believed that Our Lady would serve as the Protectress of both Muslims and natives. Brought from France in 1840, the statue was long entrusted to the Cistercian monks of Staueli. Later, Cardinal Lavigier, founder of the White Sisters, enshrined it in the new basilica at Algiers, where it was crowned in 1876.
In today’s gospel, Mary declares, “I am the handmaid of the Lord.” That is a profound truth that true freedom is found in service to God and that greatness is not about being served but our faithful we serve others. In her “yes,” we hear the echo of our own calling – to be servants of the Most High, handmaids and bondservants of the Lord, finding our greatest dignity in our willing submission to Love Himself. She is the Mother of God and became the Mother of the Apostles and the entire Church—interceding tirelessly before her Son on our behalf. From Bethlehem to Nazareth, from Cana to Jerusalem and beyond, her role in salvation history is vital.
Let us confidently pray with Mary—the Queen of Apostles—who stood with the Apostles in prayer as they awaited the Holy Spirit’s gift.
May she forever remain the Queen of Africa. Through her maternal intercession, may Christ’s glory be revealed among us. We have choices to make daily let us learn from her example. Let us shine with the radiance of His glory, becoming one with it—two lives united in one glory: bride and groom, united with the Godhead.
Amen.
Fr Joseph Osho
