Feast in the desert - feast of the Annunciation

As you know, we are bound by Church law are to do penance on Fridays of Lent. (Of course, by 'we', I mean Catholics - we may have a few Protestant friends here). Today, however is Mar 25, the day we celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord.

Canon 1251 - Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Today, the Feast of the Annunciation, is Solemnity, so you are not bound to your Friday penance. (Of course, you can continue to observe penance if you choose, but today you are not bound to it. And if you do decide to skip the day of penance today, maybe I could recommend that we remain sober to Season.

In celebration of this great day, nine months before the birth of our Lord, let us consider the special event:

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, "Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor 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 for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" And the angel said to 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 kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. - Luke 1:26-38

Have you been troubled by a piece of news that God broke to you unexpectedly? When you question, do you continue to trust the Lord and His ways? Perhaps God has shown you that you are not alone - there is usually someone not too far from us, who is feeling the same insecurity.