Today, March 25, we celebrate the Annunciation of our Lord.
Sharing these reflection points from Fr. Tito Caluag during this morning’s Kapamilya mass:
One, “And the Word was made flesh.” Jesus was incarnated and entered our humanity so he could lead us back to our divinity, to our divine home with God our Father.
Two, our love/service for God and people has to be “incarnated,” has to be “made flesh,” has to be genuinely translated into works/acts.
Three, Mama Mary shared Christ to the world with her full obedience - “Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to Thy word.”
Today, at midnight, Philippine time, Pope Francis will lead the Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Ukraine and Russia which will be livestreamed from the Basilica of St. Peter.
Some portions below from the Prayer consecrating Ukraine/Russia to Mama Mary: (see
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PE2Vl0iP4ZvLq-nbc0P12dYJkgSq6vCV/view?fbclid=IwAR1JbAHp7HWGTJSR_ffmcALmf7EeZrxYB4Yp0LSrEWd938uTc3akZpQXR38
“O Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, in this time of trial we turn to you. As our Mother, you love us and know us: no concern of our hearts is hidden from you. You never cease to guide us to Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
“Yet we have strayed from that path of peace, forgotten the lesson learned from the tragedies of the last century, the sacrifice of the millions who fell in two world wars.
“We have disregarded the commitments we made as a community of nations, betrayed peoples’ dreams of peace, the hopes of the young.
“We grew sick with greed, thought only of our own nations and their interests, grew indifferent and caught up in our selfish needs and concerns.
“We chose to ignore God, to be satisfied with our illusions, to grow arrogant and aggressive, to suppress innocent lives and to stockpile weapons.
“We stopped being our neighbor’s keepers/stewards of our common home. We have ravaged the garden of the earth with war and by our sin, have broken the heart of our heavenly Father, who desires us to be brothers and sisters.
“We grew indifferent to everyone and everything except ourselves.
“Now with shame we cry out: Forgive us, Lord!
“Holy Mother, amid the misery of our sinfulness, amid our struggles and weaknesses, amid the mystery of iniquity that is evil and war, you remind us that God never abandons us, but continues to look upon us with love, ever ready to forgive us and raise us up to new life.
“We now turn to you, knock at the door of your heart.
“In every age you make yourself known to us, calling us to conversion, (untying) the knots of our hearts and of our times.
“In you we place our trust. How greatly we need your maternal help! O Mother, hear our prayer.
“Do not let us be shipwrecked in the tempest of war. Inspire projects/paths of reconciliation, restore God’s peace to the world.
“Eliminate hatred, the thirst for revenge, teach us forgiveness.
“Free us from war, protect our world from the menace of nuclear weapons.
“Mother of God, our Mother, to your Immaculate Heart we solemnly entrust/consecrate ourselves, the Church/all humanity, especially Russia and Ukraine.
“Accept this act that we carry out with confidence and love.
“Grant that war may end and peace spread throughout the world.
“To you we consecrate the future of the whole human family, the needs/expectations of every people, the anxieties/hopes of the world.
“Through your intercession, may God’s mercy be poured out on the earth, may the gentle rhythm of peace return to mark our days.
“In your womb Jesus took flesh; help us to foster the growth of communion.
“Lead us now on the paths of peace. Amen.”