Today we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation (one day late, due to the 25th falling on a Sunday). The part of the Mass which I love so madly is when we get down on our knees and say "by the power of the Holy Spirit, he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man".
You'd have to know my conversion story to know why this is so powerful to me, and perhaps sometime I will have the opportunity to post about it. But the punchline is that the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass was pivotal. The reality of Jesus becoming man -- a truth which I'd believed in my head for over two decades at that point -- exploded in my heart and life with all its implications and ramifications. Sacraments. Church. Morality. Grace. Power!
So I think there is a special grace just for me on Christmas Eve and on the Annunciation, when we kneel down to acknowledge the Incarnation, and hail It with all humility. And so poignant -- what do we say right after we stand up again? "He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered, died, and was buried." The most beautiful, sublime act of humility on the part of our Infinite, Beautiful, All-Holy God is greeted by His creation with crucifixion.
It moves me to tears nearly every time.
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