November 28: The Annunciation
♫ Music:
WEEK ONE INTRODUCTION
TITLE: THE ANGELIC SALUTATION & ELIZABETH’S SONG: AVE MARIA
LUKE 1:28 & 42
November 28–December 5
“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”
We hear “blessed are you among women” twice in the first chapter of Luke. The angel Gabriel greets the Virgin Mary with these words at the annunciation, and when Mary and Elizabeth meet several days later we hear them again. This is the first Song of the Incarnation, yet for some reason, it’s seldom included in the official list of Christmas Canticles. Upon seeing Mary, her cousin Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, bursts into song. This song of blessing has become synonymous with the Roman Catholic prayer that reads, “Hail Mary, full of grace. Our Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.” Elizabeth, joyful over her own miraculous pregnancy, understood that God incarnate was alive in Mary’s womb: “Why is the mother of my Lord coming to me?” This canticle expresses an unusual moment of great rejoicing as Elizabeth, Mary, and John the Baptist together experience “joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Peter 1:8). It is a joy they secretly share among themselves, but soon it will be a joy for the entire world. It’s intriguing that Mary’s humble canticle, the Magnificat, boldly proclaims, “Henceforth, all generations shall call me blessed.” Regardless of your attitude toward her, all Christians must acknowledge Mary’s unique role as the Mother of Christ and her beautiful example as the first true disciple of our Savior. Her willingness to be the vehicle for Christ’s entry into the world certainly makes her “blessed among women.”
Day 1 - Sunday, November 28
Title: THE ANNUNCIATION
Scripture: Luke 1:26-29
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.
Poetry:
Annunciation
by Marie Howe
Even if I don’t see it again—nor ever feel it
I know it is—and that if once it hailed me
it ever does—
And so it is myself I want to turn in that direction
not as towards a place, but it was a tilting
within myself,
as one turns a mirror to flash the light to where
it isn’t—I was blinded like that—and swam
in what shone at me
only able to endure it by being no one and so
specifically myself I thought I’d die
from being loved like that.
REJOICE, HIGHLY FAVORED ONES
Simone Martini’s Annunciation is simple yet beautiful in all of its golden glory. The essential elements of Annunciation paintings are present: the angel Gabriel, lilies, the Holy Spirit and, of course, the Virgin Mary. What is striking about the painting is Mary’s posture. Instead of having her body turned toward the angel Gabriel, she appears rotated to her left at a near 90-degree angle to her legs. This points Mary’s torso and face toward the viewer while she listens to the angel’s invitation: "AVE GRATIA PLENA DOMINUS TECUM " (literally: “Hail [Mary], full of grace, the Lord is with you”). Though Mary’s body is turned to the viewer her eyes are still directed to Gabriel. What are we to make of this posture?
It could be a sign of the angel’s unexpected appearance and announcement. Mary is taken aback, so she turns instinctively in response, while grabbing ahold of the upper part of her gown. This response would be natural, emphasizing Mary’s humanity, communicating to the viewer, albeit obliquely, that she is like all of us: human. But perhaps there is more to her posture. Maybe Mary, even if she is taken aback, is also fully aware that what she is being asked to do is not “normal,” if you will. She adopts a posture of hesitation because she is “troubled” while she considers “what manner of greeting this was” (Luke 1:29). In other words, she would still be acting humanly, in the same way that we would all act should such a divine invitation come to our ears.
Poet Marie Howe gets at the same idea. In “Annunciation” we hear what might be construed as Mary’s thoughts. Mary realizes that seeing the angel Gabriel might be a once in a lifetime opportunity and that hearing his heavenly invitation to become the Theotokos might be the kind of speech she will never hear again, though his hailing will forever ring in her ears. Nonetheless, she desires to turn herself but not towards a direction (e.g., toward Gabriel) but she wants to have an inner “tilting” wherein she realizes that she is wholly unworthy (“being no one”) while also “loved like that.” She wants to know that she is both sinner and beloved saint: simul iustus et peccator.
And is this not true for all of us, as we await the advent of the incarnate Son of God? We realize that the Incarnation was made necessary by our sinfulness while we also know that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son” (John 3:16). We are all sinners and saints, unworthy yet wholly worthy in the eyes of God. So, hail, favored ones, the Lord is coming to be with us; blessed are we, the “no ones,” to be loved like that!
Prayer:
O God, grant that we may desire you, and desiring you, seek you, and seeking you, find you, and finding you, be satisfied in you forever.
— Francis Xavier
Devotion Author:
Dr. Greg Peters
Professor of Medieval and Spiritual Theology
Torrey Honors College
Biola University
For more information about the artwork, music, poetry, and devotional writer selected for this day, we have provided resources under the “About” tab located next to the “Devotional” tab.
About the Artwork:
The Annunciation
Simone Martini
1333
Tempera on wood
184 x 210 cm
Galleria degli Uffizi
Florence, Italy
This signed and dated painting was originally completed for the altar of St. Ansanus in the transept of the Siena Cathedral, which was dedicated to the assumption of the Virgin Mary. In the painting, the archangel Gabriel appears to the Virgin Mary to tell her of the forthcoming birth of Jesus and greets her with the words shown on the raised inscription on the gold background: “AVE GRATIA PLENA DOMINUS TECUM,” which means “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” The angel's sudden appearance to Mary is suggested by his fluttering cloak and spread wings. Mary appears distressed, draws back, and wraps herself in her cloak. The surrounding environment of the scene is not defined and only a few elements of it are depicted–the marble floor, the elaborately engraved throne, the precious fabrics, the book that Mary was reading. These elements can be traced to the lifestyle of the wealthiest classes in the fourteenth century. Above, in the center of the scene, the Holy Spirit is depicted in the form of a dove surrounded by angels. The scrolls held by the prophets depicted in the side tondos set into the frame allude to the mystery of the incarnation: from the left they are Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Daniel. The work is considered an absolute masterpiece and one of the greatest examples of Sienese Gothic painting, characterized by the wonderful elegance of both line and color.
https://www.uffizi.it/en/artworks/annunciation-with-st-margaret-and-st-ansanus
About the Artist:
Simone Martini (c. 1284–1344) was an Italian painter born in Siena, Italy. He was a major figure in the development of early Italian painting and greatly influenced the development of the International Gothic style. According to late Renaissance art biographer Giorgio Vasari, Martini was a pupil of artist Giotto di Bondone, with whom he went to Rome to paint at the Old St. Peter's Basilica. Very little documentation of Martini's life survives, and many painting attributions are debated by art historians. His career evolved from one important commission to the next, always at the service of the highest social and religious powers. While in Siena he worked for the Government of the Nine, decorating the palace where they held their meetings; then he worked in the Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi, the most important institution of the Franciscan Order. Then he gained the favor of the House of Anjou, working at the Court of King Robert; and lastly he moved to Avignon to work for the most powerful members of the Roman Catholic Church. From local painter to artist of European renown, his art went from secular subjects commissioned by the city's lay government to sacred subjects painted for church patrons and even royalty. But he always remained faithful to his style, an elegant, realistic, and cultured art.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simone_Martini
http://www.travelingintuscany.com/art/simonemartini.htm
About the Music:
“Gabriel’s Message” from the album Evensong
Lyrics:
The angel Gabriel from Heaven came,
His wings as drifted snow,
His eyes as flame, 'All hail,’ said he,
'Thou lowly maiden Mary,
Most highly favored lady, Gloria!
'For known a blessed Mother thou shalt be,
All generations laud and honor thee,
Thy Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold,
Most highly favored lady, Gloria!’
Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,
'To me be as it pleaseth God,’ she said,
'My soul shall laud and magnify his holy name.’
Most highly favored lady, Gloria!
Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ, was born
In Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn,
And Christian folk throughout the world
will ever say:
Most highly favored lady, Gloria!
About the Performers:
Formed in 2005, VOCES8, an a cappella octet from the United Kingdom, has a diverse repertoire ranging from early English and European Renaissance choral works to their own original arrangements. The ensemble is dedicated to supporting promising young singers and each year awards eight annual choral scholarships through the VOCES8 Scholars Initiative, at which amateur singers of all ages are invited to work and perform with the ensemble. VOCES8 tours extensively throughout Europe, North America, and Asia, and their artistic collaborations have included the Philharmonia Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, period ensemble Les Inventions, violinist Hugo Ticciati, and cellist Matthew Sharp.
http://www.voces8.com/
About the Composer:
Traditional Basque carol arranged by Jim E. Clemens
Traditional Basque music is a product of the region's historic development and strategic geographical position at a crossroads between the Cantabrian Mountain Range, the Pyrenees, Ebro Plains, Atlantic Ocean, and the Iberian Peninsula. The region’s culture and music has been exposed to a wide number of influences throughout history, ranging from British and Northern European to Mediterranean and Arabic. The commerce with England and popularity of the Way of St. James, one of the most important Christian pilgrimages during the late Middle Ages, left a major imprint on Basque music and culture.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Way+of+St+James&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS573US573&oq=Way+of+St+James&aqs=chrome..69i57.592j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
James E. Clemens (b. 1966) is an American composer. He earned a music degree from Goshen College in Indiana. While there, he played piano with the jazz band, sang with the chamber choir, played violin in the orchestra, served as accompanist for choirs and soloists, studied organ, and performed on Renaissance instruments with the Early Music Consort. A mostly self-taught composer, Mr. Clemens has written instrumental and vocal solos, choir anthems, music for brass and percussion, pieces for string orchestras, and arrangements for various ensembles. He has received commissions and awards from the American Composers Forum (National Endowment for the Arts), the New England String Ensemble, the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), and numerous other ensembles and soloists.
https://www.halleonard.com/biography/277/james-clemens?subsiteid=5
About the Lyrics:
Traditional Basque carol paraphrased into English by Sabine Baring-Gould
Sabine Baring-Gould (1834–1924) was an English Anglican priest, hagiographer, antiquarian, novelist, folk song collector, and eclectic scholar. His bibliography consists of over 1,240 publications. His family home, the manor house of Lew Trenchard, near Okehampton, Devon, has been preserved and is now a hotel. He is remembered particularly as a writer of hymns, the best-known being "Onward, Christian Soldiers,” "Sing Lullaby,” and "Now the Day Is Over.” He also translated the carol "Gabriel's Message" from the Basque language to English. Baring-Gould was also regarded as one of the top ten novelists of his time, writing prolifically on his travels, religious matters, historical figures, and on many other topics.
https://sbgas.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabine_Baring-Gould
About the Poet:
Marie Howe (b. 1950) is an American poet who was named the 2012 State Poet for New York. Howe did not devote serious attention to writing poetry until she turned thirty, at which time she was accepted at Columbia University, where she received her M.F.A. She is presently on the writing faculty at Columbia University, Sarah Lawrence College, and New York University. After Howe’s brother died of an AIDS-related illness, she co-edited a collection of essays, letters, and stories entitled In the Company of My Solitude: American Writing from the AIDS Pandemic that sought to foster an open dialogue about the plight of people with AIDS in the United States. Her poems have appeared in literary journals and magazines including The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Poetry, Agni, Ploughshares, and Harvard Review. Her honors include a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and a Guggenheim Fellowship.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/marie-howe
https://poets.org/poet/marie-howe
http://www.mariehowe.com/home
About the Devotion Author:
Dr. Greg Peters
Professor of Medieval and Spiritual Theology
Torrey Honors College
Biola University
Rector of Anglican Church of the Epiphany
La Mirada, California
Greg Peters is Professor of Medieval and Spiritual Theology in the Torrey Honors College at Biola University. He is also rector of the Anglican Church of the Epiphany in La Mirada, California, and author of The Monkhood of All Believers: The Monastic Foundation of Christian Spirituality.