The Annunciation

We read

Luke 1, 26-38

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

We pray

Dear God, we thank you for your servant, Mary who was not afraid to say ‘yes’ when the angel Gabriel appeared to her. Help me to not be afraid and be able to trust in you too. Amen 

We live

Mary must have been very surprised by what Angel Gabriel told her. Most probably she did not understand exactly what he said. However, Mary loved God very much, and she was ready to obey everything that God asked of her, so her reply was, “let it happen to me as you have said.”  

As we begin this special time of Lent, let us try to do our best to obey God more and do things which please him. One of the things we are asked to do during Lent is to fast.   

Today, we fast from sweets and do not snack between meals.

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