Join the Angelic Salutation
- The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary....... And She was conceived by the Holy Spirit
(Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus;   Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen)
- Behold the handmaid of the Lord,........ Be it done unto me according to thy word.
(Hail Mary...........)
- And the Word was made flesh............ And He dwelt among us 
(Hail Mary..........) etc.
   You may recall praying the 'Angelus' in the past at 06.00a.m., 12.00 noon or 6,00 p.m. This Catholic tradition, that has become less popular in our days can become alive during this Advent as I recently experienced the beauty and richness of this simple traditional prayer of the Church.
    The dialogue that is being recalled in this prayer is from the Holy Scriptures, That event brought the 1st Advent into fulfillment. The virgin did have a child as Isaiah prophesied. We are now in the Advent season and we can enter into the spirit of the Angelus.  As we pray those same words they can become alive in our hearts as we discover God's faithfulness, fulfilling his promise to save humanity. Praying it, is like joining the Angel Gabriel, who was sent by God to the Virgin Mary,...... greet her with the words of the Angel Gabriel: 'Hail full of grace....... the Lord is with you......... follow Mary as she entered the house of Elizabeth, who under the power of the Holy Spirit cried out in a loud voice and said 'Most blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb - Jesus. And how does this happen  to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?......... Blessed are you who believed  that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled......(Lk. 1: 26-45).... Join the Church praying: 'Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour our death, Amen!
   If for whatever reason you have stopped praying this beautiful prayer or have never prayed it, you can experience it anew especially in this season of Advent and thereafter everyday at 06.00 a.m., 12.00 noon and or 6.00 p.m. Join the angelic salutation and experience the joyful heart of Mary, filled with the Holy Spirit........ Enter into the mystery of the Annunciation...... and experience Advent in a new way....... let the joy of Advent ring in your heart.......Have a blessed Advent!