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FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY ( March 25th )

Blessed art thou among women. (Luke 1, 28.)

CONSIDER FIRSTLY that, when Almighty God decreed to send His Son to become man in order to redeem the mankind, He chose a Virgin Mother who ~ was the purest of all virgins, the most holy, and the most humble. Behold whilst Mary prays in her little house of Nazareth for the coming of the Redeemer, she sees an angel who salutes her saying: Hail, full of grace; the Lord is with thee: Blessed art thou among women. (Luke 1, 28.) What did the humble virgin do on hearing these words which so much honoured her? She was not elated; she was silent and was troubled, esteeming herself all unworthy of such praise: She was troubled at his saying.

APPLICATION: O Mary, thou art so humble, and I am so proud! Obtain for me a holy humility like unto thine.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: The Lord will save the humble of spirit. (Ps. xxxiii, 19.)

CONSIDER SECONDLY whether this praise inspired into her mind the thought, that possibly she was the destined Mother of the Redeemer. Far from that, it only caused her inward fear, so that the angel had need to calm her, saying: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. And then he announced that she was the chosen Mother of the Saviour of the world: Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus. 

APPLICATION:  Oh, blessed indeed art thou, O Mary! So dear thou wast and art to thy God! Mary, my hope, have pity on me.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: Because thou hast been my helper, I will rejoice under the covert of thy wings. (Ps. lxii, 8.)

CONSIDER THIRDLY the words that St. Bernard addresses to her: “Make haste, O holy Virgin: why dost thou delay in giving thy consent? The Eternal Word awaits it in order to clothe Himself with flesh and become thy Son. We too all await it, who were miserably condemned to an eternal death. If thou dost consent to become His Mother, we shall all be saved. Answer, my Lady, quickly, do not any longer let the world wait for that salvation which depends on thy consent.” But now let us indeed rejoice, for Mary has already replied to the angel: Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word. Behold, she said, the servant of the Lord, one who is bound to do whatever her Lord commands. If He has chosen a servant as His Mother, no praise to the servant but only to the goodness of God Who has deigned so greatly to honour her.

APPLICATION: Heartfelt thanks to God for the infinite favour of the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Most Blessed Trinity! Great joy also with the Blessed Virgin who thus becomes the true Mother of God! 

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: God is our king before ages: he hath wrought salvation in the midst of the earth. (Ps. lxxiii, 12.)

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