The first joyful mystery: The Annunciation

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favoured one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:26-38)

“Do not be afraid.” This is the most often repeated message in the Bible. Nearly every time an angel from God appears, they speak or sing the same message: do not be afraid. Constant reminders that, whatever difficulties we experience, we are created for faith rather than fear.

It is a message heeded by Mary in this mystery, who shows great trust in the Lord even in the face of uncertainty and risk. In Mary’s example, we can see what it means to journey through life as a pilgrim of hope. As Pope Francis writes, “Hope finds its supreme witness in the Mother of God. In the Blessed Virgin, we see that hope is not naïve optimism but a gift of grace amid the realities of life.” (Spes non confundit, #24)

This same unwavering hope characterised the life of Saint Oscar Romero, martyred 45 years ago this year. In his final homily, just moments before he was assassinated, he emphasised the importance of Christian hope, stating, "We must not love our lives so much that we avoid taking the risks that history calls for...For we have the assurance that we will never fail in all the work we do on earth if we infuse it with Christian hope."

As we contemplate this mystery, may we hear the angel's words, 'Do not be afraid,' echoing in our hearts. Inspired by the examples of Mary and Romero, may we journey together bravely in this Jubilee Year, trusting in the power of God with us.

Pray the Our Father.

Pray a Hail Mary on each of the ten beads of the decade.

Pray the Glory Be.

You may also want to add the Fatima invocation