“Today is the beginning of our salvation, God is come among men; He who cannot be contained is contained in a womb; the timeless enters time. A great mystery! His conception is without seed, his emptying past telling! So great is this mystery! For God empties himself, takes flesh, and is fashioned as a creature when the angel tells the pure Virgin of her conception: ‘Rejoice, you who are full of grace; the Lord who has great mercy is with you!’” Stichera of Annunciation, St. John the Monk
Today is the day we celebrate the Incarnation of the Son of God, the day when God was made flesh. On this day, we remember the Angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she would bear the Messiah. And we remember Mary’s beautiful response, “I am the Lord’s servant... May it be unto me according to your word.”
We celebrate the Annunciation on March 25 because it is nine months before another important celebration: the Nativity of our Lord which falls on December 25, Christmas day!
Ways to Celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation
Read Luke 1:26-38. Discuss what it must have been like for Mary to discover that she would be the mother of the Messiah. Ask them if God has ever called them to do something that felt impossible or scary. How did Mary respond?
Since today is a feast day, make waffles! Waffles covered in whipped cream are the traditional fare in Sweden for the Feast of the Annunciation. The tradition dates back to the 12th century.
Make Feast of the Annunciation cupcakes. Insert a single chocolate chip or small piece of candy into the batter of each cupcake. Bake them and ice them with pale blue icing. Explain to your children that pale blue is the traditional color for Mary and that the melted candy center of the cupcake represents the baby Jesus inside Mary.
Place a centerpiece of red carnations on a central table in your home. Red carnations are symbolic of the Incarnation.
Plant marigold seeds. Marigolds are named after the Blessed Virgin Mary. Explain to your children that although you cannot see the seed, it is there much like the baby inside Mary.
Make an Annunciation Candle. Take a pale blue or white pillar candle and carve out a niche in its side. Take a small image of the baby Jesus from a Christmas card or website, cut it to size, and place it inside the niche. Cut a small piece of fabric to fit over the niche. Pin the fabric into the candle in order to cover the niche. Explain to your children that the candle represents Mary and the baby Jesus.
Jere Lewis' Famous Waffles
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons oil
2 heaping teaspoons of baking powder
Preheat the waffle iron. Mix all ingredients until well blended. Pour slowly into greased iron. Cook until golden brown. Serve with syrup or whipped cream and fruit.