One of the the first things anyone must learn about the Rosary is that, although it seems centered on Mary, it is actually Christ- centered: it is the life of Christ seen through his mother's eyes.
The Annunciation ( celebrated on March 25th- 9 months before Christmas) recalls the angel Gabriel coming to Mary and asking her to b
ecome the mother of Israel's long-awaited savior. He greets her :" Hail, full of Grace! The Lord is with you! Blessed are you among women." (Luke 1:28) This is the first part of the HAIL MARY. Note- Gabe says she is full of GRACE. If one is full of grace, she has no room for sin!
In Mary's fiat: "I am the servant of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word" (LK 1:38) she turns our gaze back to God and sums up how Catholics view Mary.... she is fully human and humbles herself in service to God. We are to 'be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect" ( MT 5:48), but we can only attain that perfection through God's grace in Heaven.
Here on earth, we can aspire to be like Mary: as best we can in our humanity, we can strive to always do as the Lord wills us to do.
And that is the lesson of the First Joyful Mystery: the Annunciation of our Lord.
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