Director of Identity 

Toward the end of the Lenten season, we begin to prepare for the Passion of Christ by walking alongside Him throughout Holy Week, from His triumphant entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, the Agony in the Garden and His final betrayal. We are present in His sentencing, procession, death and resurrection through praying the Stations of the Cross, and Fr Suresh will join us on Holy Thursday to lead us in this focussed preparation for Easter, with prayers, blessings and the profound Pascal message.

Today we celebrate the Annunciation, also called Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, which was the announcement by the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive a son by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:26–38). The Angel’s pronouncement is met with Mary’s willing consent (“Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word”), and thus precipitates the Incarnation of Christ and his redemption of the world.

Last week on March 19 we also celebrated the Feast of St Joseph the Husband of Mary who was a remarkably brave man for the time and circumstance he lived in. Discovering Mary was pregnant, a ‘crime’ punishable by death, he did not abandon or shame her, he didn’t speak over her or for her, he didn’t have to be at the forefront of the unfolding story of Christ’s birth and childhood. Instead he stood quietly and firmly by her side, at great risk to himself and did everything he could to support both Mary and Jesus throughout their lives, keeping them safe, and helping them to be strong in fulfilling the things God had planned for both of them.

Next week we will be reminded many times of the of the pure humanity of Jesus, what it meant for Him to live as a human man, and we will remember and celebrate that He also lived as a baby, a boy and a young man, supported and cared for by two very faithful and strong parents.