Celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation of Our Lord

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Annunciation-300x253 copyOn March 25, we celebrate the moment God became man in the person of Jesus Christ. This happened when the angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and announced that she had been chosen to be the Mother of Our Lord. We also celebrate Mary’s fiat—her acceptance of God’s holy plan.

This is the greatest event in all of human history. God took a full share of our life, and even our death, so that we could share in His eternal life.

At Mary’s acceptance of the Father’s invitation, Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and became incarnate in her. By becoming a member of our human family, Jesus our Brother infinitely elevates the dignity of all human life. He fills all stages of life with His own majesty from conception through death and into eternal life.

Here are some ideas for celebrating the Feast of the Annunciation in your community:

•Celebrate Life! This feast is very important in the defense of the life from conception to natural death.

Practical idea: Support a prolife group. The 40 Days for Life prayer campaign to end abortion begins March 5 and ends on April 13. Help the campaign by offering up a daily prayer for an end to abortion or consider the spiritual adoption of a child in danger of abortion.
Two opportunities to celebrate in Dayton Ohio: Solemnity mass 9:30 am St. Anthony Catholic Church, and Solemnity mass 7:00 pm Emmanuel Catholic Church.

•Your Fiat? Is God asking you to be generous and be open to more children? Is God asking you to share your testimony with members of your family or friends to help them understand the blessings of children?

Practical idea: Pray for Mary’s help in saying yes to God’s plan for you. Consider ordering some of One More Soul’s materials fostering God’s plan for love, marriage, and procreation.

•Celebrate at home. Even with small children, this is a great day to begin teaching about the high value God places on human life.

Practical ideas: Pray the Angelus. The Angelus is a traditional prayer about the mystery of the Incarnation. It is usually prayed each day in the morning, noon and evening.

•Meditate on the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary.

Practical ideas: Have children draw or make a clay model of the Annunciation scene with the Trinity present-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–as well as Mary and the angel Gabriel. Make a tableau using a box to represent Mary’s house.

Make a flower centerpiece for the dinner table using red carnations (symbolize “incarnation”), baby’s breath (innocence, spirit) and ivy (eternal fidelity). The symbolism of the flowers reminds us of the Annunciation.

Bake a special cake for the occasion–an angel food cake iced in pale blue.


•Deepen your faith
listening Catholic Radio

Practical idea:
Listen every Tuesday Noon (ET) the program “The Quest for a Catholic Culture of Life in America”, hosted by Steve Koob, Director of One More Soul. To listen on your computer go to www.radiomaria.us

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