With 'ave' it went away

Tomorrow Christians throughout the Western Church will celebrate one of two Solemnities that fall within our Lenten disciplines: the Solemnity of the Annunciation. With the possible exception of the crucifixion of our Lord, this event may have received the largest number of artistic settings throughout history, with seemingly every major artist commissioned or inspired to set this scene from Luke's gospel. Above you see the setting of Blessed Fra Angelico, from St. Mark's Convent in Florence. We will see this work, located at the top of the stairs in the convent during our pilgrimage to Italy in November.

Tomorrow we will hear again the account of the Archangel Gabriel's remarkable greeting, which has crossed the lips of countless believers in their life of prayer: Hail, full of grace.

And equally powerful are the words of young Mary of Nazareth, poor, uneducated, unmarried, not by any means what one would consider the appropriate vessel of God himself. She responds: Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.

An excerpt from a very beautiful medieval hymn expresses the wonder of this moment...

All this world was forlorn
Eva peccatrice,
Till our Lord was y-born
De te genetrice.
With ave it went away
Darkest night, and comes the day
Salutis
The well springeth out of thee.
Virtutis.

Mary is the first Christian, the first to know of the Lord's plan to remove the forlorn world and darkest night. She is both mother and model. Now is the time for our "Yes".

Masses will be celebrated in the Cathedral at 8:00 AM, 12:00 Noon with the Choristers of the Choir School, and 5:15 PM.