Catholic Daily Reading + Reflection, 25th March 2022 The Virgin Will Give Birth To A Son

Friday March 25, 2022

THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD (SOLEMNITY)

Office – proper, Te Deum

Mass prop., Gloria. Creed

Preface proper of Solemnity

Vestment: White

Today’s Rosary: The Sorrowful Mystery

WORLD DAY OF UNBORN CHILD

Vespers II of the Annunciation of the Lord

THEME OF THE FEAST: The Virgin Will Give Birth to a Son.

The God of Israel is always ready to work wonders, on condition that we place all our trust in him. The first reading presents us with the young Ahaz, king of Israel, who must make an embarrassing choice: to act according to human logic in politics and diplomacy or to trust the promises of God. The gospel presents us with one of his wonderful works: what he did for Mary, the virgin, who, unlike Ahaz, placed her full trust in him, and put her “nothingness” at his disposal. She became his masterpiece. All are called to experience the powerful love of God. The second reading tells us how: not through the offering of holocausts and sacrifices, but by “doing the will of the Lord” as Jesus and Mary did.

FIRST READING

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive.”

A reading from the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 7 :10-14; 8: 10)

In those days: The Lord spoke to Ahaz, “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Take counsel together, but it will come to nought; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.

The word of the Lord

RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 40:7-8a.8b-9.10. 11 (R. cf. 8a.9a)

R/. See, I have come, Lord, to do your will

You delight not in sacrifice and offerings,

but in an open ear.

You do not ask for holocaust and victim.

Then I said, “See, I have come.” R/.

In the scroll of the book it stands written of me:

“I delight to do your will, O my God;

your instruction lies deep within me.” R.

R/. See, I have come, Lord, to do your will.

Your justice I have proclaimed

in the great assembly.

My lips I have not sealed;

you know it, O Lord. R/.

Your saving help I have not hidden in my heart;

of your faithfulness and salvation I have spoken.

I made no secret of your merciful love

and your faithfulness to the great assembly. R/.

SECOND READING

“I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the roll of the book.”

A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews (Hebrews 10:4- 10)

Brethren: It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,’ as it is written of me in the roll of the book.” When he said above “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The word of the Lord.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (VERSE BEFORE GOSPEL John 1:14ab)

Glory and praise to you, O Christ. The word became flesh and dwelt among us; and we have beheld his glory. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.

GOSPEL

“You will conceive in your womb and bear a son.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 1:26-38

At that time: The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 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, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I know not man?” And the angel said to 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. And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

The Gospel of the Lord.

CREED

I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible, I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ the only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father from all ages, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father, through Him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation. He came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried and rose again on the third day in accordance with the scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord the giver of life, who proceed from the father and son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and life of the word to come. Amen.

Prayer of the Faithful

THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD

Let what you have said be done to me.

PRIEST: My brothers and sisters, Mary obeyed God’s will for her, and became the Mother of his Son. With her at our side, we ask the Lord for all the graces for the mission of the Church in the world.

READER: FOR THE CHURCH, (pause) that she may continue to announce to the world the good news of salvation, which took flesh when Mary conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. (pause) Lord, hear us; may we make your name known we pray Oh Lord.

FOR DOCTORS AND NURSES WHO SPECIALIZE IN MATERNITY, (pause) that their skill and knowledge may be directed to the care of the mother, and the safe birth of her unborn child. (pause) Lord, hear us; may we make your name known we pray Oh Lord.

FOR MARRIED WOMEN, UNABLE TO HAVE CHILDREN, (pause) that they may use their time and talents to the service of those around them, and see their lives, without children of their own, as their unique calling from God. (pause) Lord, hear us; may we make your name known we pray Oh Lord.

FOR AN OPENNESS TO GOD’S WILL IN THE COMMUNITY, (pause) that we, like Mary, may be obedient to God’s will for us, especially when we do not understand what it will cost us. (pause) Lord, hear us; may we make your name known we pray Oh Lord.

We pray for our own needs in silence to God, our loving Father.

PRIEST: Father, may your will be done in our live, through the prayer we have made to you. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

TODAY’S REFLECTION

Today is March 25. It is exactly 9 months before Christmas. On this day, Mary gave her consent, her fiat, her “I do” to God’s Divine Proposal. On this day, that great miracle happened; through the powerful overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, the baby Jesus, the word of God became flesh right inside her womb.

The feast of the Annunciation is also the feast of the conception of Jesus. While we pay attention to Mary’s acceptance of God’s proposal, we also ponder on how God himself agreed to take on human flesh; the Creator taking the form of his creature. Today’s feast is a reminder that God does not force his way in our lives. He works in us only with our consent. As one Saint said, God created us without our consent but He will not save us without our consent. We always have a choice either to say “Yes” or “No” to God’s plans for our lives.

Like a young man desiring to marry a woman, God came to Mary through Angel Gabriel to propose to her: “You shall conceive in your womb and bear a Son and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High.” How happy God must have been when Mary said “Let it be done!” Her “Yes” became the beginning of the fulfilment of God’s promises to the people of Israel which the prophets all spoke about. As Isaiah prophesied, when a virgin conceives, then you shall know that your Redeemer has come. Mary is that Virgin Isaiah spoke of as a sign to the people of Israel that God has finally sent them the Saviour they have been expecting.

We are all bundles of potentials, but none of these would be realized if we don’t learn to say ‘Yes’ to God.

PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL FOR LENT DAY 23

Accepting yourself the way you are is the best way to go in developing oneself. If you reject yourself it will be very difficult for you to develop. Know it today that you are the only copy of yourself in the whole world, that is to say, you are uniquely made by God and God did not make any mistake in creating you. Therefore, see yourself as the best of God and then work hard everyday to represent the one who has made you to be the best.

Today, cheer yourself up and say to yourself, “I am the best of my kind” strive to be the best always without trying to undermine others. Stay unique as you are created by God and continue to make our world more beautiful with your personality.

Let us pray:

Lord Jesus, I am created in your image and likeness, I surrender my all to you. Amen.