Catholic Family Devotions

Understanding the Day

Season

Lent

Week

Week 3 of Lent

Rank

First-class feast

The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (In Annuntiatione Beatæ Mariæ Virginis) is celebrated on a fixed date as a feast within Passiontide. Passiontide is the final part of Lent that brings the Church’s focus more directly to Christ’s suffering and impending death, preparing hearts for Holy Week and Easter. The rank given—Double of the I Class—indicates a very solemn, principal liturgical feast: it takes precedence over ordinary memorials and simple feasts, and its texts (propers) are used in Mass and the Divine Office when the day is observed. There is no octave or vigil specified here; the day is observed on its appointed date.

Daily Prayer

The Introit for this day has not yet been generated.

Weekly Prayer

Weekly prayer content will appear here once it is scheduled.

Weekly Formation

Beatitude 5

The Beatitudes

Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy.
The merciful recognize another’s misery and act to relieve needs of body or soul. Their mercy imitates God’s compassion and disposes them to receive mercy from Him, without making mercy contrary to truth or justice.

Saint & Feast

Principal celebration

Annunciation

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

announcement of the birth of Jesus to Mary

The Annunciation is, according to the Gospel of Luke, the announcement made by the archangel Gabriel to Mary that she would conceive and bear a son through a virgin birth and become the mother of Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Son of God, marking the Incarnation.

Learn more about Annunciation

CommemorationCalendar title

Saturday of Week 3 of Lent

A biography or feast reflection has not yet been prepared.

Customs & Fasting

Traditional fast · Complete abstinence

Traditional Lenten Saturday fast and complete abstinence.

Today in Church History

No Church history reflection has been prepared for this date yet.

Catechism

Catechism of the Catholic Church

In the Catechism, we learn that Mary was uniquely prepared by God to be the Mother of the Savior, enriched with grace from her conception to fulfill her divine role. Celebrated as "full of grace," she was redeemed in an extraordinary way through the merits of Christ, remaining free from sin throughout her life. At the Annunciation, Mary exemplified perfect obedience and faith, accepting God's will with the words, "Let it be done to me according to your word." For Catholic families, Mary's example inspires us to embrace God's call with trust and surrender, reminding us of the importance of grace and obedience in our own lives.

The Catechism teaches that the Church’s relationship with those who have not received the Gospel includes the Jewish people, Muslims, and followers of other religions. The Jewish people hold a unique place as the first to hear God’s Word, and their faith is already a response to God’s revelation in the Old Covenant. Muslims acknowledge the Creator, profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and adore with Christians the one, merciful God. The Church also recognizes that other religions may contain goodness and truth that prepare people for the Gospel. At the same time, the Father wills to gather all humanity into his Son’s Church, for all salvation comes from Christ through the Church, his Body. For Catholic families, this is a reminder to hold firmly to Christ while recognizing the Church’s sacred obligation to evangelize all people.

¶ 490

To become the mother of the Saviour, Mary "was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role." The angel Gabriel at the moment of the annunciation salutes her as "full of grace". In fact, in order for Mary to be able to give the free assent of her faith to the announcement of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly borne by God's grace.

Today's Mass Readings

Open the day's Sancta MissaDivinum Officium · Divino Afflatu - 1954View readings