Tuesday Week 9, Term 1

The Anunciation

On the Feast of the Annunciation, we celebrate the day that the Angel Gabriel visited the Virgin Mary announcing that she was going to be the mother of Jesus. Even though Mary did not understand completely, she trusted God’s plan for her life, and she said yes to becoming the mother of God and our mother.

The feast falls on March 25, exactly nine months before Christmas Day, because, well, that’s how long it takes to grow a baby. For Catholics this is one of the highest feast days of the year.

The words of the “Hail Mary” come from the Angel’s greeting: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” God’s grace lives in each one of us, but Mary was full of grace because she was born without any Original Sin.

We can turn to Mary, our mother, whenever we need help making difficult decisions or if we are scared to say yes to God. She loves us very much, and she is always praying that we will have the courage to listen to and obey her son.

Dear God, we thank you for your servant, Mary, who joyfully and faithfully brought your son Jesus into the world. Like Mary, may we also bring the light of Christ to everyone we meet. Amen.