Gabriel, seeing that she is troubled, hastens to reassure her: "Fear not, Mary." He is GOD'S messenger, and he is giving GOD'S consolation, so he calls her by her name. Consolation is never far off when it is to GOD alone that we turn for it. Gabriel then tells her quite plainly what are GOD'S intentions concerning her, if she gives her consent and co-operation--that she is indeed to be the Mother of the Messias; that she is to call Him JESUS; that her Son is to be great, and is to be called the Son of the Most High; that GOD will give Him a throne and a kingdom; and that of His kingdom there shall be no end. _Point II._--MARY'S FIRST WORD She has pondered in her heart, and now she speaks: "_How shall this be done?_" St Bernardine, who calls the seven recorded words of Our Lady, "_Seven Flames of Love_," calls this first word "A Flame of _Separating_ Love" (_flamma amoris separantis_). Let us try to find out why. "How shall this be done?" Her question shows clearly what is the cause of her trouble. It is the thought of her vow of virginity--that precious offering which, as a little child, she had made to GOD. This it is which forces Mary, who so values silence, to speak. "How shall this be done," and yet my vow be left intact? To it at any cost I must be faithful. Mary, by her first word, shows that her love for GOD is so intense that it separates her from all else besides. It was out of love for Him that she made that vow. It was a flame of separating love that burnt within her, making a clear division between GOD and anything, however lawful and even desirable in itself, which might hinder her union with Him. And it is the same flame of love which now impels her to speak: "How shall this be done?" seeing that I am separated, consecrated to GOD. Her love so detaches her from all else that even the honour of being singled out to be the Mother of GOD has no attraction for her in comparison with keeping that contract made with GOD, by which she promised to be wholly His. Am I, like Mary, absolutely faithful to any contract that I may have made with GOD? Do I say: "How can this be done?" seeing I have made that promise, seeing I am a Christian, seeing I have been to Holy Communion, seeing I have taken certain vows. All these are so many cords of love which should separate me from the world. My contract with GOD must come before everything else--all turns upon my fidelity to it. Mary was troubled because she feared her vow was in danger; and her trouble was pleasing to GOD.