A HOLY OF HOLY DAYS; OF OBLIGATION

(I began writing this on Dec. 7, 2007) Did I say I have been busy?
TOMMOROW IS THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION … ANNIVERSARY … OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY BEING CONCIEVED IN THE WOMB OF ST. ANNE.
That is how Mother Angelica started her program, this week on Tuesday, which was actually December 4, 2007. It was a rerun of a program done on December 7, 1998 (I think). Which ever it was, I was soooooooooo pleased to watch that program and hope a lot of folks saw it both times.
As she mentioned, lots of folks think this is the announcement to Mary … by the archangel, Gabriel … that she had been chosen to be the human mother of the Son of GOD. Boy, as Mother said ‘that would have been even more of a miracle; gestation lasting less than 20 days’. ;-)
I THINK … one reason for that … is the Annunciation story is read as the Gospel of this day.
I have often wondered ‘why’. It should (and probably is) be read on March 25, 9 months before Christmas day. But then, who am I to tell the Magistarum what to do … and how to do it.
In talking about this subject … of course, Mother talked about Anne and Joachim … and their joy in being given a child. The gospels also talk about … Elizabeth and Zachary; starting from the beginning of the story of the conception of John, the Baptist … in their old age. To quote from a website … ewtn.com/Mary and Elizabeth/library … One day, while Zachary was serving in the temple, the Angel Gabriel appeared at the right of the altar, and announced that a son would be born to Elizabeth. It was in the sixth month of her pregnancy that the Virgin Mary came to visit her—a touching and beautiful scene pictured by many great artists. The Angel Gabriel, having lately announced to Mary the destiny that awaited her, also told her that her kinswoman Elizabeth was with child. The Virgin Mary, eager to share in Elizabeth's happiness and to confide that she too would bear a child, traveled down the dusty road from Nazareth. On Mary's arrival, she was amazed when Elizabeth, having foreseen knowledge, greeted her as "mother of my Lord." Elizabeth's salutation was in these words: "Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And how have I deserved that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, the moment that the sound of thy greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who has believed, because the things promised her by the Lord shall be accomplished."
Mother talked about Zachary telling the archangel all the reasons that he was wrong. At the end of his objections, Gabriel struck him mute, according to the wishes of GOD, the Father. He would not speak again until his son was born and named John, as instructed by Gabriel.
I often wondered if Mary spent the whole three months with Elizabeth and was there when John was actually born. She lived a great distance away, which made it reasonable that she would do that.
Of course, since she was newly pregnant when she went to Elizabeth, she would be no where near her own delivery date, when he was born.
Many folks talk about the ‘worship’ of Catholics … where the Blessed Mother is concerned. A friend of mine wrote recently in her blog … ‘Did you know that one of the earliest known prayers to Our Lady comes from the THIRD CENTURY? Now, let's put this into perspective, historically - the third century spans the year 200 a.d. to 299 a.d. approximately. Our Lord was crucified and rose again in the year 33 a.d. (approximately), correct? That means that this prayer was being used by the ONLY CHURCH anywhere from 167 years to 266 years after that monumental event.
Now, after getting this type of historical perspective straight in our minds it is easy to see why the argument that Catholics 'worship' Mary or that it was some sort of manifestation of the phenomenon in the Middle Ages of a corrupt Church hierarchy can be easily refuted. We do not 'worship' her...we love her. Our attitude is, if she was good enough for Jesus she is good enough for us. Here is the prayer: "We flee to your protection, O virgin Mother of God. Despise not our prayers in our need, but you, who alone are pure and blessed, deliver us from all danger."
Leslie goes on to say that the Blessed Mother is one of the main reasons that she came back to the Catholic Church. And not only … did she come back, she came back full force; RICA teacher, daily adoration of the Eucharist when possible, Mass lotzzzzz, during the week; and teaching a lot of folks what the Church means to her, including her niece, Jillian … and her nephews, Ryan and Stephen.
Soooooooooo, give this some thought, folks. And remember, September 8 is Blessed Mother Mary’s birthday. Je t’aime and DIEU TE BENISSE!!!!