The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, March 25, 2003
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Isaiah 7:10-14;8:10
Psalm 40:7-11
Hebrews 10:4-10
Luke 1:26-28
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you." (Luke 1:28)
Throughout Lent let us meditate on God's merciful love for us, His
people, as He unfolds His plan to rescue us from spiritual death
caused by the sin that separates us from Him. Salvation history
reveals that God always engages people to carry out His plan, first
through His prophets and in this final age by pouring out new life
upon us in the Person of His only begotten Son. What better way to
prove His love than coming to us in human flesh and offering Himself
up as the ultimate and final sacrifice to expiate our sins? For all
former sacrifices served only as an acknowledgement of sin and sorrow
for it. Jesus, the Christ, opened salvation to all who in faith and
good will, hear and follow Him, God's living Word.
To carry forth His plan, God prepared a special vessel to receive and
bear His Son into this world. The young virgin Mary, demonstrates to
us the marvelous works God can perform through those whose love and
trust in Him exceed any personal considerations, who abandon
themselves to doing His will, regardless of possible negative
consequences. Mary's, "yes" brought salvation to the world while
risking ruin to her reputation, alienating Joseph, her betrothed, and
being stoned to death for her 'sin.' Our Lenten episodes of fasting,
extra prayers and penances, works of kindness and larger Church
donations, all pale in contrast to offering up one's earthly happiness
and very life in obedience to our Creator, and all done for a race of
ungrateful and unrepentant sinners.
Today, let our hearts be filled with loving gratitude for God's great
gifts to us made possible through Mary's sacrifices and sufferings and
God's unfathomable and incomprehensible love for His errant children.
Compassionate Father,
as we participate in Lenten sacrifices,
let us offer them to You
as tokens of love and gratitude
for the incomparable gift of Your Son,
our Savior,
and His mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Amen.
- Marie Bocko, ocds ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
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Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible with
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