The Annunciation of Our Lady

Today commemorates the Incarnation, beginning the liturgical route leading us once again to the commemoration of the Nativity. It is the conception of the sacred humanity of Jesus, taking flesh from the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. She willingly cooperated in this event, offering from herself the matter for the sacrifice to take away sins. This is the meaning of her title of "Co-redemptrix." Many Church father's point to her human consent as essential to redemption, just as an individual is not redeemed apart from his or her own consent.

The local tradition of Nazareth says that the angel met Mary and greeted her at the fountain, and when she fled from him in fear, he followed her into the house and continued his message there. As far as the date is concerned, all Christian antiquity recognized March 25th as the actual day of Our Lord's death. The opinion that the Incarnation also took place on that date is found in the pseudo-Cyprianic work "De Pascha Computus", c. 240. It argues that the coming of Our Lord and His death must have coincided with the creation andfall of Adam. That is why the Nativity is celebrated on December 25th--nine months after the conception.

Luke 1:26-38
And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel being come in, said unto her: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said to her: "Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end."

And Mary said to the angel: "How shall this be done, because I know not man?"

And the angel answering, said to her: "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren: Because no word shall be impossible with God."

And Mary said: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her."

Let us pray.
We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts, that we who have known the incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ, announced by an angel to the Virgin Mary, may by his cross and passion be brought to the glory of his resurrection; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.