Mary, the Mother of God, teaches us what to do when the odds are not in our favor: Trust that all is possible with God. The Annunciation story in the original Greek sounds stronger than that in English. It suggests Mary’s plan is shattered by the message of the Angel Gabriel. The pieces no longer fit together.  Mary wasn’t expecting to become pregnant, she didn’t plan on traveling miles to her relative Elizabeth, she didn’t intend to cause Joseph unimaginable anxiety. Like a broken jigsaw puzzle, the pieces of Mary’s future lay at her feet. But in her heart, she had a promise that nothing is impossible with God, and in her womb God was growing.

For many people very little was in their favor this year. When the odds are not in your favor, how do you respond? Mary teaches us: “May it be done to me according to your word.”