Monday, March 07, 2016

At Mary’s school living the Mass

Une Minute avec Marie
An initiative of the Mary of Nazareth Association

March 7 – Apparition of the Madonna Del Monte Berico (Italy, 1426)

At Mary’s school living the Mass

Annunciation Antoniazzo Romano

Annunciation Antoniazzo Romano

The Annunciation scene as recorded by Luke follows the order of the Mass. Have you ever noticed this?

First, there is the angel’s greeting, like the celebrant who greets the congregation: "Dominus vobiscum, the Lord is with you!" Then the emotion of the Virgin that corresponds to the penitential liturgy. Her listening to the message of the angel is like the liturgy of the Word. And each homily should be an answer to the Virgin’s question, "How will this happen?" How will the proclaimed Word take flesh in our lives? The only possible answer is that of the angel: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you." This is the epiclesis of the Mass.

The same Holy Spirit who gives Mary the ability to conceive the flesh of the Son of God changes the bread and the wine into the Body and the Blood of the Lord. What excitement is contained in Mary's response: "Fiat. Oh yes, so be it!" Is it not with the same lover’s eagerness that the communicant says a resounding amen when the priest presents the Body of Christ to him? ... "Then the angel left her." This is the time of the dismissal: “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life!”

Fr. Guillaume de Menthière
In L’Eucharistie à l’école de Marie, June 2, 2008
rosarium.op.org


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