The Solemnity of the Annunciation usually falls on March 25, nine months before Christmas. It celebrates Mary’s acceptance of the message of Gabriel.
Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to her, ‘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 holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.
John Collier’s The Annunciation
This Annunciation is set in suburbia, but the symbolism is quite traditional. Mary is reading from Isaiah about the Virgin who conceives and bears a son. The lily represents her purity, and she is welcoming St. Gabriel.
Image Source: Hillstream LLC http://www.hillstream.com/paintings/annunciation.jpg
There is a copy of the Angelus Prayer for Children for children at the Religion Teacher website. See also Annunciation Activities and Worksheets for Kids
See also the art images for the Annunciation on Pinterest and Wikimedia Commons
The Annunciation…and Us by Fr. James Martin in America magazine.
Jan Bentham’s Seeds of Faith post on the Annunciation
Interesting, thank you for sharing.
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All the best, take care and have a Blessed Sunday!
Peace, Joy and Hope, Steve De Quintal Teacher, St. Mary’s CSS, 66 Dufferin Park Ave. Toronto, Ontario M6H-1J6. 416-393-5528 ext. 84293 “that they may have life and have it the full.” “Every moment is an organizing opportunity, every person a potential activist, every minute a chance to change the world.” – Dolores Huerta ***You can always email but a call or a visit will get a quicker response*** ________________________________