Annunciation

Painting by Antonella da Messina

It's the Feast of the Annunciation!

This is an important solemnity, of course. It is when Christ actually was made man, in Mary's womb, but present, truly, here on earth. This feast always falls in Lent, another way to remind us of the reason for the season, so to speak. We have that circularity to meditate upon as we close in to Easter and the Vio Dolorosa of Holy Week.

Painting by Orazio Gentileschi

For me, this year, once again, this feast is especially meaningful.

Last year, we were awaiting our court date of our little Gabriel. His referral and arrival was another personal annunciation for us. And to have his name, we knew, to be Gabriel, was especially meaningful.

This year, we are in the waiting again.
We don't have the name connection this time.
But we do have another.
We await a young girl, possibly not too different in age from Mary at that time.

Painting by John Collier

And this time, it's all about that oh so important word, the word that this entire feast hangs on: "fiat."
Fiat.
I will.
"Thy will be done."

And once again, we try to ponder Mary's answer..made when she was scared, didn't know how things would play out, work out, seeming impossible, probably so hard, but already beautiful and amazing.

Painting by Henry Tanner

And all I can say is that if we look, our, my, little lives all too often reflect what's bigger, what's more important.
And so I look to Mary and her answer...for the strength to wait, even when I am scared, don't know how things will play out, work out, seeming impossible, probably so hard, but already beautiful and amazing.

I wait for court.
I wait for visa.
I wait to bring her home, my daughter.

And I will celebrate the feast of the Annunciation.

"Fiat."

Painting by Caravaggio

Hail Mary, full of grace
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women
and blessed
is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God
Pray for us sinners
Now and at the hour of our death. Amen