Monday, March 27, 2023

NOVENA MEDITATIONS FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD

 CONFRATERNITY OF OUR MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP

NOVENA MEDITATIONS FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD

(Is 7:10-14; 8:10; Heb 10:4-10; Lk 1:26-38)

March 25th, 2023

TABLE OF CONTENT

 

DAY 1: THE SOLEMN CELEBRATION OF THE ANNUNCIATION

 

DAY 2: GABRIEL, THE BEARER OF GOODNEWS

 

DAY 3: MARY, OUR LADY OF THE ANNUNCIATION

 

DAY 4: MARY, THE ATTENTIVE MOTHER

 

DAY 5: MARY’S FIAT

 

DAY 6: ANNUNCIATIONO OF HOPE: With God nothing is impossible

 

DAY 7: ANNUNCIATION OF JOY: The Virgin will bear a Son

 

DAY 8: THE TESTIMONY OF THE ANNUNCIATION

 

DAY 9: THE MANIFESTATION OF THE TRINITY IN THE ANNUNCIATION

 

  

DAY 1: THE SOLEMN CELEBRATION OF THE ANNUNCIATION

The solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord celebrates that moment in our salvation history when Angel Gabriel announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she would conceive and give birth Jesus, the Messiah. In this celebration, we recall that solemn moment which marked the beginning of the fulfilment of the promise God made to man since after the fall (Gen 3:15). A promise of salvation, which gathered momentum through the prophets (Is 7:10-14). The angel came to Mary, saluted her, saying, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!”

 

In the history of the Church, there was a debate that arouse around the 5th Century over the unity of the divine and human natures of Jesus Christ, i.e. the hypostatic union. The debate began with Archbishop of Constantinople, Nestorius, who denied that in the divine and the human are perfectly united in the one person of Christ. Therefore, Nestorius claimed that Mary gave birth to only the humanity of Christ, so she should be called “Christ-bearer” and not the “Mother of God.” St Cyril, the Archbishop of Alexandra, argued that the divine and the human natures of Jesus were united in one hypostatic union. The Church condemned the heresy of Nestorius in 431 AD during the Council of Ephesus. It was upheld that divinity and humanity of are perfectly united and, therefore, Mary is properly called the “Theotokos” (Mother of God). After overcoming this controversy and establishing the dogma of Mary Mother of God, the celebration of the Annunciation of instituted.

 

The Church celebrates this awesome moment of the annunciation with great solemnity, thereby highlighting it as an important landmark of salvation. It was initially called ‘The Annunciation of Mary.’ But later liturgical reviews changed the title to ‘The Annunciation of the Lord’, following its connection with Jesus. The date of the Annunciation was set on March 25, making it 9 Months before Christmas. Thus, the Church celebrates the Incarnation of the Lord on this day.  

 

In the solemnity of the Annunciation, Church also honour the Blessed Virgin Mary, who offered her Fiat to God, and freely surrounded herself to the will of God. We celebrate and exalt Mary’s humility, obedience, and docility to the will of God. We admire her sweetness and sanctify, her availability and generosity to God. At the Annunciation, Angel Gabriel was satisfied at Mary’s readiness and desire for God’s will to be done. Mary’s response has become a model for the Church’s response to Jesus. The solemn celebration of the Annunciation should rekindle our faith in Jesus, who was Incarnate in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. And the joy of this celebration echoes the joy we share with Mary in surrendering ourselves totally to the will of God. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

 

DAY 2: GABRIEL, THE BEARER OF GOODNEWS

The name Gabriel in Hebrew is translated as “God is my strength,” “God is my strong man” or “hero of God.” This angel is popularly known for delivering good news. He appeared to Daniel to explain his visions (Dan 8:15-16; 9:21). He delivered the good news to Zachariah about the birth of John the Baptist (Lk 1:19). Most importantly, Gabriel announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she would conceive and give birth to the Messiah, Jesus Christ (Lk 1:26-38). He is known as the bearer of good news, the Angel of the Annunciation. Some traditions call him “Mary’s Angel.” In the Icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, Angel Gabriel is seen on the top right-hand corner holding a veil, the cross and four nails, and appears to be descending towards Mary, whose head is slightly tilted towards the angel.

 

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” (Is 52:7). Think about such a beautiful and gracious moment, when Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, loaded with the good news of salvation. Unlike Daniel and Zachariah, the Angel was more interactive with Mary; He was patient enough to answer her question and give her the reassurance she needed.

 

Let us meditate and honor the Angel Gabriel, the Angel of the Annunciation, as he stood before Mary as a true messenger of God. Her position before Mary leads us forward in faith to humble ourselves before her as the Mother of God. With Gabriel we recognize the singular privilege God bestowed on this His lowly Handmaid. As fellow messengers of God in our capacity, and as devotees to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, we learn from Gabriel to interact with Mary as our Mother, and honor her as the Mother of God. In this way, Mary will win for us the grace to be effective messengers of God, bearing  that the Almighty has done great things for us. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

 

DAY 3: MARY, OUR LADY OF THE ANNUNCIATION

The Annunciation of the Lord was a landmark event that gave the Blessed Virgin Mary a unique and unparallel identity. Mary of Nazareth was young virgin who kept herself for the Lord, hoping and believing that God would send the Messiah to deliver His people. The Sacred Tradition of the Church holds that she was the daughter of Joachim and Ann. Mary was conceived without original sin; in keeping herself spotless, she embodied the entire of hope of Israel for God’s deliverance. In the young virgin of Nazareth, we see the perfect expression of the remnant of Israel, who were preserved and never corrupted by the exile.  That is why she is called “The Daughter of Zion” (Zech 9:9). In her the hope of the prophets for the Virgin birth of the Immanuel was fulfilled (Is 7:14).

 

In the mystery of the Annunciation, Mary’s faith bore its fruit, her hope was fulfilled, and she actualized perfectly who God had prepared her to be, even since after the fall of man (Gen 3:15). When the sound of Gabriel’s heavenly voice rang in her ears, “She was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.” Here we see how her humility shined out, for, though she was a devout lady, she never considered herself worthy of such venerable greeting and honor. The humble shall be exalted. The highest honour bestowed on Mary in the Annunciation reveals the depth of her humility. Mary is our Lady of the Annunciation, for all her life was destined and prepared for this very moment, yet, God would not act without her free consent.

 

In the Annunciation, the many virtues of Mary shine out; we see her attentiveness, prayerfull recollection, humility, joy, submission to will of God, purity, faith, hope, charity, detachment, and above all, her universal motherhood. Mary praised God saying, “All generations will call me blessed, for the Almighty has done great things for me, holy is His name” (Lk 1:48-49). This prophetic message comes true as all generations comes to know her and appreciate what the almighty has done through her. In addition, we learn from her who gave her free consent to the will of God at the Annunciation. In this way, Mary teaches us, as her devoted children, how to surrender our ego, attachments, ideologies, authorities, situations in life, etc, to the will of God, which often unfolds in ways we do no envisage.

 

May the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Lady of the Annunciation, help us to surrender to God’s will, and bring Christ to world around us. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

 

DAY 4: MARY, THE ATTENTIVE MOTHER

The Icon our Mother of Perpetual Help depicts Mary in a contemplative mood. In the Icon, Mary's left ear is attentively open. The Icon speaks of Mary as the Attentive Mother. Mary listened attentively to the message of the Angel during the Annunciation, that was why she asked for more clarifications. Her attentiveness was part of her many virtues, for she had formed herself as one who was ready to obey. This virtue requires that one does not ‘lock up’ the heart, but ready and willing to understand and respond accordingly.

 

Think about how readily people these days have low capacity for attentiveness! There is a growing trend of insensitivity in our society. More often than not, we see couples who are not attentive to the needs of their partner, but are locked up in their ego and sentiments. To be attentive to God is to obey His commandments and to do His will. To be attentive to others is basically to show compassion and care. It is difficult to be attentive without love. So, to the extent that we withdraw love from each other, to that extent are we not going to be attentive to them. Anger and hatred deafen our ears against those around us, but love opens our ears to hear God and our neighbor. So, in Mary’s attentiveness to God, we see the depth of her love.

 

As we meditate on the mystery of the Annunciation, we see how Angel Gabriel’s journey to Nazareth was a huge success because Mary was docile and attentive. It was such disposition that was needed for the will of God to reign over hers, and for the power of God to overshadow her and consume her weakness. In this lowly state, Mary was raised up and given ‘the highest honor of our race.’ The quality of her attentiveness can be seen in her swift response to the needs of Elizabeth. Did the Angel tell Mary to visit Elizabeth, and with such hurry? Now, we can understand more deeply Mary’s virtue of attentiveness. Yes, the example of Mary has shown that attentiveness to God will definitely translate into attentiveness to our neighbor. So, Mary’s response to Elizabeth is a manifestation of her wholehearted response to God. Therefore, let us learn from the Blessed Virgin and be attentive to God, as the Icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help depicts. Then, we shall be attentive to our neighbor, and respond to them with love and compassion. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com


DAY 5: MARY’S FIAT

After listening to all the message and explanations Angel Gabriel gave to her, Mary gave her fiat, saying, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” With these words Mary gave her free consent; she surrendered her precious free will to the will of the Almighty. Just before Mary offered her fiat, heaven was ready and waiting; Gabriel was explaining and anticipating, and humanity, burdened by the weight of sin, was longing for deliverance. The old history had exhausted its chronology, and the new history was anticipating the fiat of Mary. Immediately, she offered her fiat, the Angel’s job was done, and he left immediately; nothing more could be said or added!

 

Let us meditate on how Mary’s fiat stands in contrast to the disobedience of Adam and Eve. By disobeying God’s instruction that they should not eat the forbidden fruits, Adam and Eve pulled their free will away from God, and channeled it to themselves in selfishness. This was how they brought sin and its consequences upon humanity (cf. Rm 5:12-19). Then, God laid out the historic plan of salvation in Jesus Christ, to unturn the evil that creeped in through human disobedience. The Annunciation of the Lord was the landmark event that inaugurated the beginning of the realization of God’s plan for the salvation of the world. As Mary said YES to the message of the Incarnation, God found in her the obedience in humanity that would bring grace and righteousness for the salvation of man.

 

Think about how great and powerful was Mary’s humble act of total surrender to God. With such freedom and efficiency, she surrendered her ideas and visions, her plans for life and marriage, and even faith and hope in God. Thus, she offered back to God all that God had made her to be, and all that she hoped to be! This is what every prompting of the Holy Spirit demands of us. It is this kind of surrender to God that is the most appropriate response to most unforeseen circumstances that come our way. All that Mary offered through her fiat increased and multiplied; nothing given to God diminishes. Hence, Jesus said, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies it yields a rich harvest” (Jn 12:24). Let us learn from Mary to our own fiat to God, then the Almighty will do great things for us. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

 

DAY 6: ANNUNCIATION OF HOPE: With God nothing is impossible

On this sixth day of our Novena in honor of the Annunciation of the Lord, let us meditate on the hope that this celebrate brings. Of course, the Annunciation is itself the fulfilment of the hope of salvation for it was at that moment that Mary conceived our divine Lord. Nevertheless, since the hope of believers does not diminish, this celebration gives us reassurance that our hope shall not be in vain. When Mary asked the Angel, “How will this be, since I do not know man?”, we see through her the yearnings of all of us, who are seeking answers and assurances to the questions life has posed upon them. Sometimes we find ourselves burdened with the question of whether our prayers are answered, if a particular sin we committed can be forgiven, or if we can endure certain discomforts. The Lowly Handmaid weighed the great message Angel Gabriel announced to her against her humble state and wondered how this could be possible!

 

After explaining to Mary that she will conceive by the power of God, and showing her the example of Elizabeth, the Angel to said to her, “For with God nothing is impossible.” This statement answered all Mary’s doubts and cancelled all her fears. At the same time, it purified her free will and strengthened it for her fiat. By anchoring her hopes on the fact that with God nothing is impossible, Mary understood without knowing perfectly what God wanted of her. So, she questioned no more, and gave her ascent.

 

We are living in a country where corruption and injustice spread their wings and give us no hope of better future. There is so much frustration and depression, even among the younger people. Divorce and separation are gradually becoming the trademark of marriage these days. It is easy these days to give up faith, abandon prayer or jump from prayer house to the other. Most of these are signs that we are perceiving impossibility in the situations we find ourselves. As we draw closer to the Solemnity of the Annunciation, let us pause and reflect on the power words the Angel said to Mary, “For with God nothing is impossible.” Let us connect with Mary to these words, and view our problems and situations through it.

 

Yes, with God we shall come out of every dark situation and see the light. “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Phil 4:13). Nothing is too hard for God (Jer 32:17). There is no plan of God for you that can be thwarted (cf. Job 42:2). If the God of impossibilities is on your side, nothing shall come against you (cf. Rm 8:31). May the Blessed Virgin Mary intercede for us, reassure us that with God nothing is impossible. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

 

DAY 7: ANNUNCIATION OF JOY: The Virgin will bear a Son

The birth of a child is always a joyful news. As king Ahaz was troubled with fear about the enemies that surrounded him, the Lord sent prophet Isaiah to announce to him the good news that God was coming to deliver him. The prophet gave the king a sign that God would come to save him and the people, saying, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Is 7:14). During the Annunciation, the Angel Gabriel said to Mary, “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.”

 

Mary knew that this was a great joyful news, but she was not carried away with excitement at hearing it. Instead, she remained calm and recollected, knowing that true joy comes through a due process. There is not shortcut to joy, it must come through the right order and by our personal commitment. So, she asked, “How will this be, since I do not know man?” Apart from the joy that she would be mother of the Messiah, Mary’s heart lit with joy as she realized that had taken notice of her lowly state and favored her. With the Angel’s explanation, Mary realized that what God was asking of her was not just for personal gain, but the salvation of the world. It must have been of a great joy to her to have the opportunity to contribute to the fulfilment of God’s promise to His people.

 

There are so many socio-political problems that readily dry our joy away. Sin and selfishness have deepened the wound of sadness in many people. How can the children of Mary, the joyful mother, be covered with bitterness and anger? Joy will slip off our hands if we do not get to it through the due process of sacrifice and personal commitment. Mary was a woman who lived for God and for others. That was why she rejoiced greatly on hearing that her cousin Elizabeth had conceived in her old age. Her capacity for joy was so great because her heart was open to God and to her neighbor. Many people today are inclined to sadness because their hearts are basically inclined to their personal gains and comfort.  

 

Yes, the Annunciation was a great moment of joy, even as the liturgy relives the encounter. What great outpouring of joy it was when the Holy Spirit came upon Mary! What a peaceful and joyful experience it was when the power of the Most High overshadowed her. And the Incarnation of the divine Son made Mary to burst forth with joy as she sang the Magnificat, saying, “My soul glorifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Lk 1:46-47). May Our Mother of Perpetual Help intercede for us that we may have such great capacity for joy, so as to contain divine joy and spark up joy in hearts that come in contact with us today. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

 

DAY 8: THE TESTIMONY OF THE ANNUNCIATION

After explaining to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she would conceive by the power God, the Angel Gabriel gave a testimony of what God can do, saying, “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.” Yes, that God made it possible for the barren woman to conceive testifies that God can do all things. This testimony was meant to help Mary place her trust in the power of God for the message of the Annunciation to come true, not in her ability to conceive, since she had no husband.

 

Thus, Elizabeth’s story became the testimony of the Annunciation to encourage Mary. Without realizing it, while going through her pregnancy in her old age, Elizabeth did not know that her story had become an encouragement for a greater story. However inspiring Elizabeth’s conception might be, it was not meant for Mary to replicate her story or to put her trust in her. It was to evoke her quick and immediate response to God, who can do all things. Actually, such a heavenly message, complete in itself since God Himself was therein, needed no external testimony. Jesus said, “Even if I testify about Myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going” (Jn 8:14). However, since God respects our free will, He had to ‘dialogue’ with Mary and convince her to freely accept the divine Incarnation. This is where the story of Elizabeth became an important part of the message of the Annunciation.

 

Think about the mood of the Blessed Virgin Mary on hearing that Elizabeth, who had given up hope of childbearing, was in her sixth month. “The Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes” (Ps 118:23). Her heart lighted up; no doubt or life situation could stop her free consent. Then, the echo of her fiat filtered throughout the room, “…let it be to me according to your word.” If Elizabeth’s story could inspire such response, how much more should Mary inspire us. She testifies that the Almighty can do great things for us; His love extends from age to age, He pulls down the proud and arrogant of heart but exalts the lowly. In our hunger, Mary testifies that God feeds the starving poor. In our doubt and fears, she assures us that God is faithful to His promises, even has He did to Abraham and his descendants forever. As we invoke Mary’s maternal help, we took shall testify, such that the testimony of our lives shall inspire a greater story in lives of others. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

DAY 9: THE MANIFESTATION OF THE TRINITY IN THE ANNUNCIATION

Thank you all for following our meditations in honour of the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. This solemnity marks the moment of the Incarnation of the Lord, whose birth will be celebrated nine months to come. The nine topics we chose do not exhaust all that could be said about this great mystery, but they are meant to lift up our minds heart to appreciate, honor and connect to the specific graces of the Annunciation. On this last day of our Novena, let us meditate, with as much attention as we can, on the mystery of the Trinity as revealed in the Annunciation.

 

In response to Mary’s question, “How will this be, since I do not know man?” The Angel Gabriel 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.” This is one of the clearest revelation of the Trinity in the Scriptures. Here, we see an identification of each of the Person of the Trinity, but united in a single action. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is identified from the overshadowing power of the Most High, and both are identified from the Son of God. However, the Holy Spirit, the Father and the Son are not separated from each other, for they are revealed in the one act of the Annunciation, and they are participate in the singular act of the Incarnation.

 

The power of the Most High took over Mary as His Daughter, the Holy Spirit dwelt within her as His Spouse, and the Son of God took flesh in her as His Mother! Oh! How blessed is the Virgin Mary who was so highly honored. Now we understand why the Angel greeted her specially, saying, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” We remember prophetic words of Elizabeth to Mary, “Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Lk 1:42). Thus, the Church calls her ‘Mother of God’, ‘Queen of Angels’, ‘Queen of all Believers’, ‘Mother of divine Grace’, ‘Matter Ecclesia’, ‘Mother of Perpetual Help’, etc.

 

In the Annunciation, we see how the One God, in His Trinity of Persons, speaks with one voice, executes one action, and reveals Himself in one instant. Since we are created in God’s image and likeness, He blesses with the gift of unity of mind, heart and the senses, so that we can live in peace and be united with one another. Mary becomes our model, indicating who we can become if we allow the power of the Almighty Father to take control of our lives, open up our hearts to be sanctified and prompted by the Holy Spirit, and we bear fruits of the righteousness of Jesus (cf. Phil 1:11). Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

 

 

                                                                        

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