Gospel of Luke 1:26-38
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 he 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."
From the Divine Office Morning Prayer (Antiphon 3):
Sinless Virgin, let us follow joyfully in your footsteps; draw us after you in the fragrance of your holiness.
A Heavenly Fragrance The fragrance of the Blessed Virgin Mary is intoxicating and invigorating. It lightens the senses. It heals the soul. The aromatic bouquet leads us straight on a path to holiness. One whiff of the Virgin's parfum transforms our hearts and souls to Christ Jesus. We receive an outpouring of graces. Also, we receive immeasurable and unstoppable love. Inside the womb of Saint Ann, the Blessed Virgin was conceived without the stain of original sin. How could this be? It remains one of the core mysteries of our faith.
An unplanned pregnancy Whenever I think of the angel Gabriel announcing the Virgin Mary's pregnancy, I think of the thousands of women who find out they are pregnant after a doctor's visit. Some women are excited and thankful. Other women are scared and remorseful. Still others are angry, and the idea of giving birth to an "unwanted child" is horrendous. I always hope women who find themselves in a pregnancy situation will think before they make a terrible decision to "get rid" of their unborn child. I remember back in college a woman in a nearby dorm room gave birth to a baby girl and then threw the baby down the garbage shoot! Students were shocked anything like this could happen on campus! Very sad circumstances. Eventually the mother was convicted of manslaughter and sent away to prison. She will always live with the memory of killing her own child.
Can you imagine if Mary said to the angel Gabriel, "I don't want to be pregnant! Allow this baby to die! I'm too young and don't want the stigma of being an unwed mom." Whoa! Fortunately, the humble Virgin responded with a "Yes!" This "yes" set the defined course for salvation history.
According to thy will One of the best prayers that I frequently say to myself when I'm not sure of what action to take or what decision to make:
Dear God, may it be done to me according to thy will.
This week, let's follow the Blessed Virgin's example embracing her heavenly fragrance and asking God to guide us in ways that please him.
-J.
Sinless Virgin, let us follow joyfully in your footsteps; draw us after you in the fragrance of your holiness.
A Heavenly Fragrance The fragrance of the Blessed Virgin Mary is intoxicating and invigorating. It lightens the senses. It heals the soul. The aromatic bouquet leads us straight on a path to holiness. One whiff of the Virgin's parfum transforms our hearts and souls to Christ Jesus. We receive an outpouring of graces. Also, we receive immeasurable and unstoppable love. Inside the womb of Saint Ann, the Blessed Virgin was conceived without the stain of original sin. How could this be? It remains one of the core mysteries of our faith.
An unplanned pregnancy Whenever I think of the angel Gabriel announcing the Virgin Mary's pregnancy, I think of the thousands of women who find out they are pregnant after a doctor's visit. Some women are excited and thankful. Other women are scared and remorseful. Still others are angry, and the idea of giving birth to an "unwanted child" is horrendous. I always hope women who find themselves in a pregnancy situation will think before they make a terrible decision to "get rid" of their unborn child. I remember back in college a woman in a nearby dorm room gave birth to a baby girl and then threw the baby down the garbage shoot! Students were shocked anything like this could happen on campus! Very sad circumstances. Eventually the mother was convicted of manslaughter and sent away to prison. She will always live with the memory of killing her own child.
Can you imagine if Mary said to the angel Gabriel, "I don't want to be pregnant! Allow this baby to die! I'm too young and don't want the stigma of being an unwed mom." Whoa! Fortunately, the humble Virgin responded with a "Yes!" This "yes" set the defined course for salvation history.
According to thy will One of the best prayers that I frequently say to myself when I'm not sure of what action to take or what decision to make:
Dear God, may it be done to me according to thy will.
This week, let's follow the Blessed Virgin's example embracing her heavenly fragrance and asking God to guide us in ways that please him.
-J.
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