May 14, 2009 / 11:49 am
Wrapping up his time in Nazareth, Pope Benedict prayed in the grotto of the Basilica of the Annunciation and then met with bishops, priests and laity in the church. The Pope, reminding Christians of the power of the Annunciation despite its apparent insignificance, encouraged them to remain in the Holy Land, assuring them that they "have a part to play in God's plan for salvation."
"It is profoundly moving for me to be present with you today in the very place where the Word of God was made flesh and came to dwell among us," Benedict began, after having prayed Evening prayer with the faithful.
He noted that when the same Spirit that hovered over the waters at creation 'came upon Mary,' God permanently established a new relationship with us. But this narrative "illustrates God's extraordinary courtesy," since "He does not impose himself, he does not simply pre-determine the part that Mary will play in his plan for our salvation: he first seeks her consent."