Life goes on. Work goes on. School goes on. And we may well miss, year by year, the magnificent beginnings of our salvation.

In our local Madonna House lore, there is a story about our beloved Archbishop Joseph Raya. One year, after his retirement from as archbishop of Galilee, he found himself teaching at a seminary in the USA during the month of March.

To his consternation, March 25^th was not celebrated. No festive holiday was declared. Classes were not cancelled. No sign or symbol appeared anywhere to indicate awareness of the feast.

To him this was an outrage, something incomprehensible in a Catholic institution, especially one training young men for the priesthood. What could be a worse tragedy than to ignore the event marking the coming of God as a human being, God himself taking on our very flesh!

Indignant, he inspired the students in his circle to join him in a protest on the front lawn of the school.

He had a big bonfire lit in honor of the Incarnation of the God who had come to set the world on fire with divine love. He even notified the TV people, in case they might wish to report the unusual doings at the local seminary.

The archbishop, in full Byzantine regalia, readily gave an explanation of what was happening: "We have sold our souls to the universities!" he cried. "But at least today, some students and I have recognized the greatest gift of God, his coming to us as man!"

I never did hear what was the official reaction of the administration to the archbishop’s concerns.

I can’t think of a better story to illustrate the truth of what our Faith proclaims: the eternal God chose to permanently disturb humanity with his almighty and loving presence. As all the early Fathers of the Church proclaimed with such boldness: "God has become man that human beings might become God!"

It takes a lifetime to flesh out what such a statement means. What a tragedy it is when we now, for the most past, ignore one of the greatest of the events of our Faith! What a source of strength, joy, and love it is to remember it and to celebrate it!

I had another lesson in this just the other day. Some members of our community were able to send a bit of financial help to a young man in Liberia who is trying to help rebuild his country, which has been so shattered by the civil war.

One of our lay members had supported him for several years, including his time in a refugee camp in a neighboring country.

Now having returned home, he was attempting to start a computer school for children who might otherwise not have the opportunity to learn.

When they received the donation enabling some progress to be made on the school building, the young beneficiaries wanted to send a thank you note by e-mail. This is part of what they wrote:

"Dear D. and Madonna Family,

"We the children of D. Holy Infants asked Brother Sam to send the letter to you and your Madonna family. We wanted to write and send this letter on our computer in our school, but Brother Sam said that the computer we have cannot send the letter to you people. He said only the computer on the internet can do that.

"So we asked him to send it to you and your friends.

"Before Brother Sam’s coming to Liberia, we were not in school because our mothers and fathers could not pay our school fees. The fees are so high. But when Brother Sam came, he started to teach us in his house, only charging us for our registration.

"Brother Sam says that all he is doing for us are from you and friends. He buys us notebooks and foot wears sometimes when we do not have. Few days ago he said you and your friends send us plenty money to build our school. We are all happy and we thank you and your friends for the help.

"Christmas is coming and it is a very big day here in Liberia. We children eat a lot and play a lot. But those of us at the D. Holy Infant are not lucky ones. We will spend the time at Brother Sam’s place. He said he will share with us some sweet as gifts. So we will be happy as the other children…"

I hope those children in Gardenersville (Monrovia Archdiocese), Liberia, had a wonderful Christmas. One can tell it wouldn’t take much to make such children happy.

It is seeds of hope like this one that bear witness to Christian hope, founded on that Divine Seed planted in the womb of the Virgin.

It was one of the most beautiful stories of new beginnings in Christ that I had heard in quite a while.

It reminded me, again, of "what’s all about" (a favorite saying of Archbishop Raya).

It is because God took on human flesh in the womb of a woman that we can believe that even our tiniest efforts for good will never be lost or wasted.

They are guaranteed by the presence therein of the Word made flesh, the conqueror of sin and death.

This Seed, who is Christ, was bursting with divine life. The Annunciation proclaims this magnificent beginning to the story of our salvation, which will culminate one day on the Cross of Calvary.

When we stop and celebrate it, we are reminded to never be afraid of humble beginnings, made "magnificent" not by appearances but by the presence of God within.

And as we remember where it all ends, with that Seed becoming yet again a "Seed" sown in the ground on Good Friday, we ourselves gain courage to persevere beyond humble beginnings to the glorious goal of love poured out to the end.

I hope you find a way to celebrate the Annunciation this year. Maybe you can’t get off work or out of class.

But there’s always the option of a little display of the Angel Gabriel and Our Lady. Or maybe a festive meal. Or reciting the Angelus. Or praying the Vespers of the Feast. Or praying the rosary together as a family.

Or maybe a small gesture in charity towards someone in need—what better way to remember the great yet hidden Gift God made to human kind one ordinary day through a humble Virgin in Nazareth?

Blessed feast!