The Annunciation, a reflection

The Annunciation by Dorothy Webster Hawksley

The Annunciation by Bartolome Esteban Murillo

In the sixth month,

the angel Gabriel was sent from God

to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,

to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,

of the house of David,

and the virgin's name was Mary.

And coming to her, he said,

"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."

The Annunciation by John Collier

But she was greatly troubled at what was said

and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

Then the angel said to her,

"Do not be afraid, Mary,

for you have found favor with God.

Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,

and you shall name him Jesus.

He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,

and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,

and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,

and of his Kingdom there will be no end."

The Annunciation by John William Waterhouse

Annunciation Icon

But Mary said to the angel,

"How can this be,

since I have no relations with a man?"

And the angel said to her in reply,

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore the child to be born

will be called holy, the Son of God.

And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,

has also conceived a son in her old age,

and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;

for nothing will be impossible for God."

The Annunciation by Henry Ossawa Tanner

Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.

May it be done to me according to your word."

Then the angel departed from her.

[Luke 1:26-38]

The Annunciation by Fra Angelico

The Annunciation by Leonardo Da Vinci

Advent ponderings, week 3: Annunciation!

“In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, ‘Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus’.”  ~Luke: 1: 26-31

Suggested Prayer:  

O Wisdom, O Emmanuel, O Sacred Lord. Come, save us from our sins and lead us to salvation. O Christ, we need you. Help us in our weakness. Support us by your power as we wait in hope for your coming, both this Christmas and at the end of time.

Suggested actions: 

• Beginning on December 17 (through December 24), include as part of your table or bedtime prayers the "O Antiphons," which address Christ by one of His scriptural titles and conclude with a distinct petition to the coming Lord (Read more about the O Antiphons here). 

Don't forget to finish by singing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” which paraphrases the antiphons.

• Why not bake your favorite cookies and deliver a plate to each of your neighbors? Be sure to include a note with a Christmas blessing––and to reach out to neighbors you *don’t* know (or like :-)