Dear Family of Mary!
Day Seven of our Novena for the Annunciation of the Lord:
“And the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” (Lk 1:35)
The Father spoke again directly to Our Lady, through the Angel Gabriel with this most important and incredible answer to her question. He was so happy to answer her question. The Father was ready to explain everything to Mary, because she was asking from a pure desire only to serve Him. I love this conversation!!
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you…” This outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon Mary was the most powerful and incredible outpouring of the Holy Spirit ever given. The Holy Spirit was coming to enact the Incarnation of God Himself, in the womb of Mary!!
“And the power of the Most High will overshadow you…” This image is very moving. The power of the most High will overshadow you. I did a search about the word “overshadow” and found that from the Greek (Episkiazo) it can mean to come over someone, or even to cover someone. And that word is used also in Genesis 2:21-22, where it says, “So the Lord God caused a deep sleep ‘to fall upon the man’ (to cover or overshadow), and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; and the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. ”
There is deep significance here! When God created woman (Eve) out of man (Adam), He overshadowed the man, and in that creative overshadowing He withdrew the rib and fashioned the woman! In Luke 1:35, the Angel Gabriel tells Mary that the power of the Most High will overshadow her! God’s creative power would enact the Incarnation of The Lord in the womb of Mary!!!
“…therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God!” Wow, wow, wow!! The Father told Our Lady exactly what would happen. She was given all the information she would need. And thankfully, we are given that information too, so we can worship Jesus with all our hearts as our Lord and God!!
Our Lady wants us to be open to the “overshadowing” of the Holy Spirit just as she was. She wants us to desire the Holy Spirit and to open our hearts to His coming, because He brings everything good to us. She told us to allow God’s blessings to fall upon us in this message:
September 2, 2005 “Dear children, I, as a mother come to and am showing you how much your God, your Father loves you. And you? Where are you, my children? What takes the first place in your hearts? Why do you not put my Son in the first place? My Children, allow God’s blessings to fall upon you (could this be the same word, overshadow?). Let God’s peace overcome you. Peace, that my Son gives, only He.”
Let’s allow God to cover us with His Presence and give us all the blessings He has for us today, in preparation for the Annunciation on Thursday!!!
Mother, teach us how to receive the Holy Spirit!
Let us pray:
Annunciation prayer of faith:
Lord Jesus Christ, Eternal Word,
You became Incarnate as man
in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
You, through whom the universe was created,
began your earthly course,
in the womb of a humble and chaste Virgin.
At the annunciation of this miracle,
Mary responded in faith:
“Let it be done to me according to your word.”
May we who are made new creatures by your grace,
respond with such faith, when you call us to your service. Amen
(written by David Bennett)
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
(c)Mary TV 2021