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'The Angel of the Lord Declared unto Mary'

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by Monsignor Charles M. Mangan

With good reason, the Solemnity of the Annunciation has been saluted as the "Feast of our Redemption." The Second Person of the Most Blessed Trinity took flesh in the chaste womb of the Virgin of Nazareth when she consented to the Lord's astounding proposal as announced through the Archangel Gabriel. Our golden chance to be redeemed by Christ began when Mary uttered her famous fiat--"Let it be done as you say."

Life looks much different to us after the Annunciation. Each person of the human race, which had grievously offended its Creator due to Original Sin, now would enjoy the holy opportunity to be reconciled to God.

The Annunciation offers many rich truths upon which to reflect. Here are only a few.

The Son of God obeyed His Beloved Father without delay. The Son fulfilled the wise plan of His Father, becoming incarnate in Mary's womb. Such a striking example of humility and obedience cannot help but to inspire us to respond affirmatively to the Lord in all the He asks of us.

Our Blessed Lady was completely receptive to the Lord. Mary needed no prodding to submit to her Lord. She had already yielded to God countless times before. She loved Him and at every moment placed His desires, no matter how mysterious, over her own.

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The Archangel Gabriel holds an important place in our redemption. Angels are "created spirits." God made them as His special servants. Over the course of time, many have been messengers to the human sons and daughters of God. Gabriel was chosen for this unique task of sharing with Mary that Jesus would be conceived in her by the power of the Holy Spirit and subsequently born of her. Angels have heralded the Good News for centuries.

The gift of preborn human life is sacred and deserves protection. It is no secret that the legal slaughter of preborn boys and girls has reached endemic proportions. God is not pleased with this savagery. Each of us will have to answer to Him as to how we sought to protect our preborn brothers and sisters. Babies still in their mothers' wombs require our vigilance and strenuous efforts to secure legal protection for them.

A prayer that the Church has esteemed for decades that commemorates the Annunciation is The Angelus. It is prayed three times daily--6:00 a.m., 12:00 noon and 6:00 p.m. If we don't know this prayer, now is the time to begin to recite and learn it. Many will find that if they pray The Angelus three times daily for a month, at the end of the thirty days they will have memorized this cherished prayer, which is really a meditation in itself.

V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.

R. And she conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, . . . .

V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.

R. Be it done unto me according to thy word.

Hail Mary, full of grace, . . . .

V. And the Word was made flesh.

R. And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary, full of grace, . . . .

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray. Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

When the Archangel Gabriel "declared" unto Mary, he was declaring unto each of us: "Jesus is coming . . . let your souls be open to receive Him." May our reply echo that of the Ever-Virgin: "fiat."