Update/reflection from Fr. Gratton (25 MAR 2020):

N.B. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered for all of our parishioners and for the healing of Roberto Govoni.

First off, a couple of important updates:
1) Since Governor Scott has issued a “Stay at Home” order to all Vermonters, the Bishop has called for all of our churches to be locked until the Governor lifts this order. Thus, today will be the last day (until further notice) that Our Lady of the Angels and St. Elizabeth churches will be unlocked and open to the public. That being said, I never lock St. Anthony church in Bethel, since I live right next to it, and will continue to have this church unlocked 24/7 in case anyone truly has an emergency and needs to be with Jesus in the Tabernacle.
2) Many have been asking me about my duties in the Vermont National Guard, and what would be required of me with all that is going on. This is what I know so far: I have not been asked to go on state active duty, yet, but my unit has been practicing emergency phone texts over the past 24 hours in case we do get called up without warning. Honestly, I would like to be called up to help in this situation, especially if it does get worse. The Army Chaplain Corps’ main duties are to “Nurture the Living”, “Care for the Wounded”, and “Honor the Dead.” If things do get worse and many people are sick, etc., then I would like to do my duty by being with them in their suffering, to help walk them to a place of peace. Again, nothing has come to me officially on what is expected of me, but I will not be surprised if they do call me up to help serve. If that does, indeed, happen, please know that I am in the process of trying to secure a Vermont priest to help cover my parishes and help take care of you via online announcements, Sacraments, etc.

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Reflection on the daily Mass readings http://usccb.org/bible/readings/032520.cfm :

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord! It is a day where we get to say the Gloria (which we have avoided all Lent), and it is one of the few daily Masses throughout the year where we recite the Creed and genuflect at the word, “Incarnate.” Also, fun fact for all of you Christmas fanatics: Christmas is exactly 9 months away! It is a HUGE day for the Universal Church, and it has so much to teach us—especially in these times.

Today the Angel Gabriel visited a young Mary, and calming her with words of blessing, explained that her life was going to change forever. Note that he did not say, “Your life is going to get easier once God resides in you, and once you give birth to the Son of God.” Rather, the Archangel simply states that Mary is blessed, has found favor with God, and that she is to bear a Son and name him Emmanuel. Nothing more, nothing less. He doesn’t say, “I will guide you through it all” or “don’t worry, I will teach you what you are to say and do.” He simply states the fact that in God’s will, Mary is to play a huge part.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux once wrote about this moment of the Annunciation in a homily and how the world basically stood still, and in a silence so deafening, it eagerly awaited her reply (you can check out an excerpt of his homily here: https://www.piercedhearts.org/…/annunciation_mary_fiat_st_b…)

Gabriel does not give Our Lady many details, but he does say these extremely important words, “Do not be afraid.” Why?

Gabriel knows that being the Mother of God will be no easy task. He knows that she is going to go through hardships BECAUSE of her trust in God’s will. He knows that there will be friction between she and Joseph because of this (Matthew 1:19). He knows that although Christmas morning will be full of joy and angelic singing, it will be followed by the Holy Family’s haste in leaving Bethlehem to escape the clutches of Herod—sadly to the tune of wailing innocents who were sacrificed in their stead (Matthew 2:16-18). He knows that Mary will one day feel her heart pierced by sorrow as Simeon foretells the destiny of this young boy at the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:35). He knows the deep pain, anxiety, and embarrassment she will feel when she and Joseph lose Jesus for three days in the city of Jerusalem, only to find him teaching in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52). He knows the fear and loneliness she will feel when her Son chooses to be Baptized and then prepares for His public ministry by spending forty days in the desert, alone, starved, and tempted by the very essence of evil (Luke 4:1-13). He knows the betrayal she will feel when her friends and neighbors turn against her Son after his first homily in Nazareth (Luke 4:14-30). He knows the nights she will lie awake in worry, thinking about her Son as He travels from town to town, speaking the Truth and inciting the rage of the powers that be (Matthew 12:15; 26:1-5, etc.). He knows the terror she will feel in her heart the night she hears her Son has finally been arrested (Matthew 26:36-56, etc.). He knows the immense pain, loneliness, and confusion she will feel as she walks the path of Calvary alongside her baby boy—the child that she loves and has loved from the very beginning (John 19:25-27).

Gabriel knows the road will be difficult for Mary. He knows that she will spend many periods of her life wondering where her Son is, and feeling alone without His presence among her. And yet, Mary says those words that should ring in every church bell around the world, and well up in every human heart this day, “May it be done unto me according to thy will.” She said, yes! She proclaims her Fiat, despite the hard and confusing times ahead. She agrees to follow God’s will even though she knows that there will be excruciating moments in her life where she will feel separated from her Son. Still, she says yes. She takes a step closer to God in this moment. It is this moment when Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World, was conceived in her womb. And it is this moment where the world is changed forever.

The life of Mary is one that should be meditated on by all Christians, for it is a life that is so in love with doing the Father’s will—even when it requires sacrifice and, at times, pain. Our Lady can teach us a lot about how to walk through these days of global pandemic with a hopeful and enduring spirit. She was no stranger to feeling alone and physically separated from Jesus. She was no stranger to sacrifice and pain. She knew these thorns of the world all too well, and yet, she still said, “Yes!”

Maybe right now you are feeling so sad that churches will be locked until further notice. Maybe you are worried about what might happen to you and your family if this virus spreads rapidly in Vermont and gets worse. Maybe you are feeling so frustrated living without the Sacraments/physically going to see and receiving Jesus at Holy Mass. Maybe you just feel dejected, lonely, and lost right now. Or maybe you just feel abandoned and you do not know where God is in all of this…

Well, today is for you. This Solemnity is a day about a beautiful woman who changed the face of the world forever, not because the path was going to be easy, but because she knew the good would greatly outweigh the bad. She did not shy away from her duty. She did not give up in the dark times. She knew the pain of being separated from Jesus, and yet she persevered because she knew she would be with Him forever one day, never to be separated again.

This Solemnity should remind all of us to reach out to Our Lady who knows our pain all too well, and to follow her example by living through dark times with a spirit of Faith, knowing that they will not last forever.

Her Son has already won the victory. Indeed, Easter is right around the corner!

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Stay strong my sons and daughters in Christ. Know that you are with me every day at the altar of God, and be assured of my love for all of you.

In the Immaculate Heart of Mary,

Fr. Gratton