The Solemnity of the Annunciation commemorates the Angel Gabriel's visit to the Virgin Mary to inform her of God's specific mission for her as the mother of His only son.

Through a variety of devotional prayers, we are constantly reminded of the significance of this feast to our salvation. The joyful mysteries of the Rosary and the Angelus are two examples that demonstrate the significance of this feast.

In the fourth or fifth century, the Annunciation feast was first observed. Its fundamental theme is the Incarnation: God has become one of us. God had decreed from the beginning of time that the Blessed Trinity's Second Person should be human. Luke 1:26-38 informs us that the choice is now being carried out. In one enormous act of love, the God-Man embraces all of humanity to bring it to God. Jesus will take on a life of suffering and excruciating death in order to atone for humanity's rejection of God: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).

Mary's place in God's plan is significant. God had planned for Mary to be Jesus' mother from the beginning of time and to be intimately involved in the world's creation and redemption. One could argue that the divine decree of the Incarnation unites the decrees of creation and redemption. Mary plays a part in creation and redemption alongside Jesus because she is God's tool in the Incarnation. It is a role bestowed by God. God's grace is involved all the way. Only God's grace allows Mary to become the prominent figure she is today. She represents the vacant place where God could work.

Blessed Mary, along with Jesus, is the bridge that connects heaven and earth. After Jesus, she is the human being who most embodies what it is to be human. She accepted God's boundless love into her humility. She demonstrates how a regular person may reflect God in everyday situations. She is the perfect example of what the Church and each individual member are supposed to become. She is the pinnacle of God's creative and redemptive ability. She embodies the purpose of the Incarnation, which is to benefit everyone.

Saints of the Day
Saint Robert of Bury
Saint Lucy Filippini
Saint Quirinus of Tegernsee
Saint Pelagius of Laodicea
Saint Humbert of Morailles