Hello, friends!
In celebration of the Annunciation, here are some beautiful thoughts about this blessed event:
“It is the Christian story that reveals drama, not tragedy or farce, as the heart of our lives. As the angel delivers his message to Mary, it is a drama that unfolds; absolutely everything hangs upon a free choice, a word, from a young girl. Heaven itslef is silent and fixed upon her answer. Will she say yes or no?
Her drama is ours. The event of the Incarnation hangs today upon our frail freedom, and heaven itself waits to hear us say, ‘Be it done!’ so that Love may conquer.” -Father Vincent Nagle, F.S.C.B.
Father, you make the event of your Son’s Incarnation pass through my freedom. May the prayers of the Virgin Mary grant me your grace and help me say yes for the sake of my salvation and that of the whole world.
The following is an excerpt from the poem “Annunciation: The Words of the Angel” by Rainer Maria Rilke -
“All the angels are worried now
letting go of each other’s hands:
never before was there such a longing,
so uncertain and immense.”
These words, from both Fr. Nagle’s reflection and Rilke’s poem, capture the immensity of the silence and how time momentarily stopped right before Mary’s fiat. Will she say yes or no?
We must tak seriously the importance of our own yes or no each day, each hour, each minute.
No comes naturually to us… most often in asbsent-mindedness. Most often we are simply not paying attention to the question God is posing; how can we say yes if we don’t know what the question is?
We must be alert to say “Yes, Lord, I will go comfort that person.” “Yes, Lord, I will choose to kindly reply to this person, even though he was incredibly rude; perhaps this kindness may help brighten his day.” “Yes, Lord, I will trust that there will be time later to finish this work, because this person needs my help right now.”
And how frightening the consequence of our no! Our no causes someone else’s pain and tears; our no causes someone else’s loss of hope.
We must hear the question posed by God. We must say yes. Heaven is waiting for our answer.
Love and prayers,
Julie
