The Blessed Virgin Mary and The Annunciation

When we Catholics pray the Holy Rosary, we always do our best to contemplate on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary and at the same time mean the words we pray, in the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Glory.

For most, not all, we find this to be very difficult. I'm one of those most who find it difficult to do the things I outlined above. My mind just drifts. But, we also need to be very aware that the distractions that cause our minds to wander away while reciting the prayers in the Holy Rosary, is due to spiritual warfare.

But, I want to share a mystery of the Holy Rosary that I find, for the lack of a better term, easy to contemplate on, and as the title suggests, you guessed it.

The first mystery of the Joyful Mystery, which we contemplate on through the Holy Rosary every Mondays and Saturdays, The Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to the Blessed Mother, is what I find easy to contemplate on.

The one prevailing question that would always run my head when I contemplate on the Annunciation is "How or what did our most beloved Blessed Virgin Mary feel during the entire time when she was speaking with Gabriel and the moments after?".

But, one can say that in the scripture it was narrated how Mary felt, for it was written: "But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be." Lk 1:29

While our most beloved Blessed Mother was "greatly troubled", this passage does not tell us how our most beloved Blessed Mother felt during the entire exchange and the moments after.

Additionally, she was "greatly troubled by what was said..." not by the entire exchange.

With this, I'd like to assume that one can already surmise why the First Mystery of the Joyful Mysteries is what I find easy to contemplate on.

These are the themes that I have in my mind, by the Grace of God, that I am able to contemplate on this mystery:

*** Our most beloved Blessed Mother is full of grace, so full of grace that the Greek term used during the greeting was "Kecharitomene". Should I explain what this means? It's better if you get to know what this means yourself.

*** As someone who is full of grace, she was aware of what saying "Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.", will entail for her in the near future - the humility, the happiness, the profound joy and the pain she will have to suffer. As what St. Simeon said to our most beloved Blessed Mother, "A sword will pierce your heart." Lk 2:35

*** Aside from the pain of seeing your own child die, our most beloved Blessed Mother also sees and feels the pain of what the world is doing to God who loves ever so dearly.

*** The first part of the Hail Mary is right out of words said by the Angel Gabriel in the Annunciation. Thus, it makes it easier to contemplate on The First Joyful Mystery because of this.

*** The Annunciation is the beginning of the Incarnation. This is the exact moment when the Lord took on flesh.

So, going back to the question, how or what did our most beloved Blessed feel during the entire encounter and some moments after the Angel Gabriel left?

Can you imagine, God choosing you to be His own mother? Like, how pure and clean should one be for the Lord to take on his dwelling within you for 9 months, and the amount of humility for one to possess to know exactly what someone is getting herself into? Of course, this isn't due to the merit of Mary that she possesses all of these, it is all by the Grace of God. For if not by through God's grace, our most beloved Blessed Mother won't have these qualities necessary for her to (1) Say YES to, (2) The Purity and Cleanliness in everything for her to Mother God himself, and (3) The Humility to know that God in His great mercy has come down to save humankind.

And everything circles back to the purity and humility of our most beloved Blessed Mother. The title Kecharitomene talks about the overflowing and perfect grace from before her conception, during The Annunciation and continues to the present.

Isn't it great that God saved His mother from the stain of sin even prior to her conception? For The Ark of the New Covenant needs to be perfect just like how the Lord specified the dimensions of the Ark of the Old Testament to be perfect. Wouldn't it make sense for God to create with His own hands and save it from sin, the very Ark who will contain Him as he enters the very world he created to be perfect?

Our Most Beloved Blessed Mother is the most perfect, beautiful creature created by God.

Just how lovely is that thought.

The Most Beloved Blessed Mother pondered everything in her. She can ask for pointers from other mothers how to mother a human child. But, whom does she ask for pointers on how to mother your own creator? The humility needed to surrender everything to God knowing full well that He will provide.

Was the most beloved Blessed Mother fearful of what might become of the God-Man under her care? I certainly do not think so. Notice this passage in Lk 1:29 again: "But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be."

Now, note what the Angel Gabriel after: "Do not be afraid, for you have found favor with God." Luke 1:30

There are so many things that I can contemplate about - how did St. Joseph find out that our most beloved Blessed Mother was pregnant? Given that our most beloved Blessed Mother went to visit St. Elizabeth for three months, was it around this time when St. Joseph found out?

However, was St. Joseph not aware that our most beloved Blessed Mother was going to St. Elizabeth's place, considering that they were already married (betrothed in the olden times in Israel is already considered to be already married. This can talked about more; but, this will be a totally different topic.)?

Did St. Joseph not go with our most beloved Blessed Mother when she went to visit St. Elizabeth?

These kinds of scenario run in my head, as a contemplation of what transpired according to scriptures and what could've transpired that's not indicated in scriptures.

As I shared, it helps so much that the first part of the Hail Mary prayer is derived from The Annunciation making it easier to contemplate on this mystery.

Other religions, even from our Christian brothers from the protestant denominations, may not easily understand why we pray the rosary and the greatest obstacle for them is the prayer to our most beloved Blessed Mother.

There are so many underlying theological and biblical reasons they do not see and understand, and we can spend a whole lifetime trying to make them understand; however, how long it may be, we leave it to the Holy Spirit to enlighten them and remove the veil from their eyes that they may witness and live by the fullness of the Christian faith, which in effect, we hope for them to come home to the Catholic Church.

Multiple miracles attributed to praying the rosary have been both documented and passed on by word of mouth.