Annunciation

My dear Friends

Today, 25 March, is the Feast of the Annunciation. What is it? It commemorates the meeting of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, to announce the Good News that she was to bear a child and would call him Jesus, the Saviour. Obviously Mary was a little incredulous and wondering how this would come about, never having been with a man, but the angel explains all.

He describes how the Trinity will bring this about, with the Power of the Most High resting upon upon her and overshadowing her and the presence of the Holy spirit creating this child in her. O wondrous event! Mary is to be the Second Eve, through whom salvation is to come into the world.

This is the day, 21 years ago, that I was baptised into the Catholic Church. It took place in Newmarket, during the course of the Easter Vigil, the service on the Saturday night which precedes Easter Sunday. A bonfire is lit outside the church to commemorate the creation and candles are lit inside the Church for the people to hold during the first reading. There are 9 readings, from Genesis and Exodus and the parting of the Red Sea to and Isaiah and finally the Gospel on the Resurrection, the light coming into the world.

I was also given the sacrament of confirmation and the sacrament of the Eucharist, in which I felt the 'peace which passeth all understanding.' It was a wonderful night and rounded off by a performance of folk music by two people from the village in which I was staying.

Here's to the next 21 years!
Shalom from
Sister Gila