I broke the news to a group of college students last night. Nine months from today, we’ll be celebrating Christmas. That’s right. Today’s the Feast of the Annunciation, the moment humanity learned of Emmanuel, God with us.
You may recall that the image above, the Cortona Annunciation by Fra Angelico is one of my all time favorites. I’ve had the chance to see it several times in the Museo Diocesano, and each and every time, the vibrancy and beauty of this great artist’s masterpiece leaves me stunned.
The message Gabriel was sent from heaven to give Mary changed to course of humanity. Surely, Gabriel saw the fright written on Mary’s face. Attempting to calm her, he told her not to be afraid, and then he rolled out his message. You can ponder it on your own by reading St. Luke’s telling of the story in his gospel, Chapter 1:26-38.
As you think and pray about Gabriel’s words and what they should mean to us, you might need a little musical inspiration.
Have a great weekend 🙂
