The Annunciation

MALTESE VERSION

Presence: I take a few deep breaths to be become aware of where I am spiritually…

• Breathe in and consider what you wish to receive from God.
• Breathe out and consider what you would like God to free you from.

I ask for what I wish: I ask for the grace of freedom from fear and a life-giving hope.

Context Exercise:

1. I close my eyes or look down and think of the various aspects of my life: my dreams, worries, family, friends, places I visit, work, etc.
2. Next, I look at our past:
   • The generations of my parents and grandparents and their way of living (ex. without internet);
   • generations before them living in war, others at peace;
   • generations before the industrial revolution without cars and electricity;
   • Generations who passed through famines, pandemics like the Black Death, etc.;
   • I consider also the progress made not only in science and technology, but also from a justice perspective: The abolition of slavery, the recognition of women’s rights, social welfare, etc.
3. Now, I imagine the future:
   • Generations who managed to kerb climate change;
   • More wars… and longer periods of peace;
   • Another pandemic… and a quicker and better response to it;
   • I let my imagination help me to look with hope…
4. I return to the present and I look at my life at the intersection between the past and the future…
5. Now, I return with my imagination to the time and place of the Annunciation: Mary’ house in Nazareth, Galilee. A poor young adolescent with no recognised authority, living in a region at the fringes of her occupied country (“Galilee of the gentiles”)…

Read the Text twice, slowly: Luke 1:26-38 The Annunciation
²⁶ In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And he came to her and said, Greetings, O favoured one, the Lord is with you! ²⁹ But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰ And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. ³² 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 father David, ³³ and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. ³⁴ And Mary said to the angel, How will this be, since I am a virgin? ³⁵ And the angel answered 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 called holy—the Son of God. ³⁶ And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. ³⁷ For nothing will be impossible with God. ³⁸ And Mary said, Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her.

Points for meditation:

• I look at Mary and notice her reactions to Gabriel’s words.
• I imagine what she thought and felt during and after the encounter.
• I consider God’s way of looking at the world’s troubles and problems and how the Trinity values Mary and her contribution to salvation.
• I now return to the present and to my situation at the intersection between past and present…
• I consider how God looks at me and the world’ current situation…

Conversation: Speak freely to Mary or to one person of the Trinity about what moved in you while leaving moments of silence to cherish interiorly what moved you.

Other texts for your personal prayer time at home:

• Matthew 1:18-24 Joseph’s calling
• Isaiah 52:7-10 “all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”
• Ephesians 1:3-14 “he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ”
• Titus 3:4-8 “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy”

Witness: St Alphonsus Rodriguez

Born in a rich family in Spain, he lost his Father at a young age and ended up managing the business instead of studying. He married and had three children. Then the business went bankrupt due to high taxes and all his family died.

He joined the Jesuits at the age of 37, after considerable resistance to his admission due to his age and lack of studies. He worked for rest of his life as a porter welcoming everyone as if it were Christ himself and in his simple service changed the hearts of many.

[Read More]