Ecce ancilla Domini

thumb|Ecce Ancilla Domini (Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1849-1850) Ecce ancilla Domini is Latin expression with which the Mary, mother of Jesus and of God answered to the archangel Gabriel during the Annunciation (Gospel of Luke 1:38). Quotes “Ecce ancilla.” With these words, Mary places herself entirely at God's disposal. She is the chosen one, the one visited by the angel, yet she understands her service in such a way that all believers are included through her. She says yes, hoping to be able to speak on behalf of all those who are willing to believe. She is full of grace, but precisely when she responds in accordance with this grace, she wishes to withdraw—pure handmaid!—into the anonymity of service. And, as the only chosen one, she makes this available too. Her availability wants to include everything that God may ask of her, so that her availability also embraces the availability of all women to whatever is asked of them. Adrienne von Speyr, incipit of Maria nella redenzione (Maria in der Erlösung, 1973), traduzione di Roberto Carelli, Jaca Book, Milano, 2001 (in Italian). ISBN 88-16-30376-X External links Ecce Ancilla Domini Category:Mariology