If there is one prayer that aptly leads us into meditation on the events of Christ’s birth, it is the Angelus. Let us spend the next few days meditating on this beautiful prayer.
The Angelus
The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, and she conceived by the Holy Spirit. (Hail Mary)
Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to Thy word (Hail Mary)
(Bow your head and say) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. (Hail Mary)
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray: Pour forth we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the incarnation of Christ Thy Son, was made know by the message of an angel, may by His passion and cross, be brought to glory of His resurrection, through the same, Christ our Lord. Amen
Today we will concentrate on the first line of the prayer:
The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, and she conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Scriptures: Matthew 1:18: Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When His mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the power of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:20: … suddenly an angel appeared to him (Joseph) and said to him: “Joseph, son David, have no fear about taking Mary as your wife. It is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived this child.” Luke 1:30-32, 34-35: The angel went on to say to her: “Do not fear, Mary. You have found favor with God. You shall conceive and bear a son and give Him the name Jesus. Great will be His dignity, and He will be called ‘Son of the Most High.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be since I do not know man?” The angel answered her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; hence the holy offspring will be called Son of God.”
Blessed John Paul II tells us in his catechesis on Mary, Mother of God: Mary reminded the angel, who proposed that she become a mother, of her intention to remain a virgin. Believing that the announcement could be fulfilled, she questioned the divine messenger only about the manner of its accomplishment (Italics mine). This was to better fulfill God’s will, to which she intended to submit with total readiness. “She sought the manner; she did not doubt God’s omnipotence,” Saint Augustine remarks (Sermon 291). Luke does not indicate the precise place where the annunciation of the Lord’s birth occurred. Luke reports only that Mary was in Nazareth, a village of little importance, which did not seem predestined for the event. In addition, the evangelist does not ascribe unusual importance to the moment when the angel appears and does not describe the historical circumstances. This last consideration allows us to appreciate the greatness of Mary’s faith especially in comparison with the tendency, then as now, to ask insistently for sensible signs in order to believe. Mary was asked to assent to a truth never expressed before. She accepted it with a simple yet daring heart. With the question: “How can this be?” she expressed her faith in the divine power to make virginity compatible with her exceptional and unique motherhood. By believing in the Lord’s word, Mary cooperated in fulfilling the motherhood announced to her. St. Augustine in particular stated: “The angel announces: the Virgin listens, believes and conceives” (Sermon 13 in Nat. Dom.). Theotokos, Pauline Press, 2000
My thoughts: As a young girl I would hear Church bells ring out at 6:00am, 12Noon and again at 6:00pm calling Catholics to pray the Angelus. What a perfect way to prepare for Christmas, by beginning the day with prayer on our lips, by stopping in the middle of the day to place prayer on our lips, and by entering into the darkness of night with a prayer on our lips! By pondering the first line of this prayer, we find ourselves marveling at Mary’s faith. Could any of us simply ask “how?” Could any of us not demand a sign? Blessed John Paul’s commentary certainly shows us the amazing faith Mary possessed. It is a good idea for us, this Advent season, to ask her to increase our faith in her beloved Son, to teach us to respond quickly and confidently to God’s requests, and not to ask “Why?” but “How?”
Our Prayer to God: Today is a good day to start to pray the Angelus, at least at Noon. We can ponder in our hearts the many times we have heard God whisper a request, and reflect on our reactions. I know, for me, this will be a humbling experience!
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