Gospel (Jn 3,1-8) - Among the Pharisees there was a man named Nicodèmo, one of the leaders of the Jews. He went to Jesus at night and said to him: «Rabbi, we know that you have come from God as a teacher; in fact, no one can perform these signs that you perform, if God is not with him." Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodèmo said to him: «How can a man be born when he is old? Can he perhaps enter his mother's womb a second time and be reborn?" Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Don't be surprised if I told you: you must be born from above. The wind blows where it wants and you hear its voice, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes: so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

The liturgy of the Church wants us to remember with a particular feast the day in which the angel was sent to Nazareth to announce to Mary that she would become the mother of Jesus. And there is a link between this feast and the mystery of Easter that we have lived. Because ultimately in that angel's announcement it is already prefigured that the Lord who will be born from Mary will be the Savior. And salvation is the gift of love that passes through the test of the cross. It is a love that is prepared over time, it cannot be improvised. It has a story and begins with an encounter between Mary and an angel, an envoy of the Lord. We could say that in that angel sent by God, there is the first announcement of the Gospel, of the good news, that is, that God has not forgotten men. For this reason, it seeks and prepares in our humanity the encounter with Mary, and the Gospel of Luke presents us with a girl, like all of her: she lived the ordinary life of her village. Yet, the Lord's gaze had rested on her.
And the first to offer her life is Mary herself who makes herself docile to the love of God. On this celebration we contemplate how great the love of the Lord is. And never, in fact, did Mary move away from that love. She fully accepted the call to be a servant of a greater plan. And it was neither easy nor obvious. When the angel told her that she was full of grace, Maria became troubled. She didn't think highly of herself. She felt like nothing before God. The angel, however, comforted her: «Do not be afraid, Mary, because you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive a son... and you will call him Jesus». We are not given to know Mary's thoughts at that moment. She could say "no", remain in her tranquility and continue her usual life. If, however, he answers "yes", her whole life will be transformed, and with it the life and history of humanity.