The Holy Father on Mary's Faith

"The relationship between human beings and God does not erase the distance between Creator and creature, it does not eliminate what the Apostle Paul said before the depth of the wisdom of God, 'How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!' (Rom 11:33).  But the one who -- like Mary -- is totally open to God, comes to accept the will of God, even if it is mysterious, even if it often does not correspond to our own will and is a sword that pierces the soul, as the old man Simeon will say prophetically to Mary, when Jesus is presented in the Temple (cf. Lk 2:35).  ...[Mary's]...faith lives the joy of the Annunciation, but also passes through the darkness of the crucifixion of the Son, to reach the light of the Resurrection.

"It is no different for the journey of faith of each one of us: it encounters moments of light, but also meets with moments where God seems absent, his silence weighs on our hearts and his will does not correspond to our own, to what we would like.  But the more we open ourselves to God, welcome the gift of faith, put our trust in Him completely...like Mary...the more He makes us able, us with his presence, to live every situation of life in peace and in the assurance of his faithfulness and of his love.  But this means going out of oneself and one's projects, because the Word of God is a lamp to guide our thoughts and our actions. 

"And Mary's 'yes' to the will of God, in the obedience of faith, is repeated throughout her life, until the most difficult moment, that of the Cross." 

~Pope Benedict XVI, 12/19/12 General Audience

Hail Mary, Virgin of Advent, so full of grace and joy, teach me your complete trust in God and your obedience of faith, that I, like you and with you, may give birth to your Divine Child for the salvation of the world. Amen.