Daily Retreat 03/31/08
2008 Mar 31 Mon: ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD S
Is 7: 10-14; 8: 10/ Ps 39(40): 7-8a. 8b-9. 10. 11/ Heb 10: 4-10/ Lk 1: 26-38
From today’s readings: “The Lord Himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and shall name Him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us!’... Here I am, Lord; I come to do Your will... Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me.... Behold the handmaid of the Lord - let it be done unto me according to your word!”
The Incarnation
“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt amongst us....” John 1:14 is one of the most jubilant verses in all of Sacred Scripture, the gospel, the “good news” of the Incarnation. Although those first verses which form the prologue of John’s Gospel are proclaimed on Christmas day, they also are equally appropriate for meditation on today’s solemnity of the Annunciation, recalling Mary’s fiat and the moment when the Eternal Word of the Father became flesh and was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Generally, the Annunciation is appropriately celebrated on March 25, nine months before the celebration of the Birth of Jesus. However, when that date falls during Holy Week or Easter Week (as was the case this year), the feast is transferred to the Monday after the Octave of Easter. This feast day continues to grow in importance and in people’s awareness, mostly because the link between Christ’s conception and His birth nine months later is being stressed to emphasize the sacredness of human life even before birth. Consequently, many parishes celebrate Holy Mass with a particular pro-life focus on this day.
Even by themselves, the Gospel texts of the Annunciation (Lk 1:26-38) and the Visitation (Lk 1:39-56) prove the indisputable biblical basis for recognizing the sanctity of unborn human life. So, following the example of the Holy Father, one of the best pro-life strategies is simply to cultivate greater appreciation for these feasts in the life of the Lord, which each one of us can do simply by sharing with others the gospel, the good news of what is celebrated today - the Incarnation of the Word of God!
Is 7: 10-14; 8: 10/ Ps 39(40): 7-8a. 8b-9. 10. 11/ Heb 10: 4-10/ Lk 1: 26-38
From today’s readings: “The Lord Himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and shall name Him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us!’... Here I am, Lord; I come to do Your will... Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me.... Behold the handmaid of the Lord - let it be done unto me according to your word!”
The Incarnation
“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt amongst us....” John 1:14 is one of the most jubilant verses in all of Sacred Scripture, the gospel, the “good news” of the Incarnation. Although those first verses which form the prologue of John’s Gospel are proclaimed on Christmas day, they also are equally appropriate for meditation on today’s solemnity of the Annunciation, recalling Mary’s fiat and the moment when the Eternal Word of the Father became flesh and was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Generally, the Annunciation is appropriately celebrated on March 25, nine months before the celebration of the Birth of Jesus. However, when that date falls during Holy Week or Easter Week (as was the case this year), the feast is transferred to the Monday after the Octave of Easter. This feast day continues to grow in importance and in people’s awareness, mostly because the link between Christ’s conception and His birth nine months later is being stressed to emphasize the sacredness of human life even before birth. Consequently, many parishes celebrate Holy Mass with a particular pro-life focus on this day.
Even by themselves, the Gospel texts of the Annunciation (Lk 1:26-38) and the Visitation (Lk 1:39-56) prove the indisputable biblical basis for recognizing the sanctity of unborn human life. So, following the example of the Holy Father, one of the best pro-life strategies is simply to cultivate greater appreciation for these feasts in the life of the Lord, which each one of us can do simply by sharing with others the gospel, the good news of what is celebrated today - the Incarnation of the Word of God!
posted by FrPitstick | 3/28/2008
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