Today we glorify the Lord as we remember the “Yes” of the Blessed Mother, and the tremendous redemption of Man and all of Creation, that began with the Incarnation within her very body.  Mary, the new Eve has become for us the Ark of the New Covenant – carrying within her the life-giving Word, the eternal high Priest, the promised son of David the King, and the measure of the Law and the Prophets of old.  Today all the promises of the redemption of Israel begin to be fulfilled in the person and mission of the Redeemer.

There is perhaps no more appropriate day to offer a prayer of thanksgiving for this supremely generous inbreaking of grace.  Toward that end, here is a beautiful version of the Angelus.

This day we celebrate the incredible moment – and the ongoing reality – of the Incarnation, the fullness of time, when the second person of the Holy Trinity condescends to veil himself in the form of our humanity, uniting himself with our limitations and our suffering so as to lift us up to become sons and daughters of his Heavenly Father, brothers and sisters of Jesus himself.  He became like us, that we might become like him.

With regard to how we offer worship to the Lord in this present age, we know that the redemption of the world is indeed ongoing, and our church buildings, our sacred artwork, our music, all of our offerings, should show forth a vision of Creation redeemed.

We should aspire to make manifest, especially in all things associated with the Liturgy, that anticipated time when the Lord will be all in all.  Our sacred art and architecture should prefigure the redeemed goods of this world and allow us a glimpse forward, into the time when the mission of the Redeemer is indeed fulfilled.

…for the worship and glory of the Lord God, and the continued sanctification of the Church on earth.