03/24/2022 – St. Gabriel the Archangel

In order to meditate better on the rosary, many people imagine themselves at the scene of the rosary mystery and listen to the participants in the scene.

The LORD’s messenger, St Gabriel the Archangel’s feast is celebrated today in the traditional calendar. Today is also the vigil of the Solemnity of the Annunciation. It would be a good to meditate on the Annunciation and the Visitation by imagining the scene. Think about Mary’s room which must have certainly been a quiet simple abode of deep prayer. Or the Temple where Zachary served six months before and where he was visited by the Archangel Gabriel too, and then of course Zachary’s home, that she shared with his wife Elizabeth, probably the comfortable home of a Jewish priest, and the inner enclave where Elizabeth in her confinement would spent much of her time, and where she probably met with her cousin Mary.

In the Bible, we first encounter Gabriel in the story of Daniel. It is Gabriel who interprets Daniel’s visions for him. In Jewish commentary of Scripture, Gabriel is considered the Angel of Israel.

If this is true then it is not surprising that it is Gabriel who is chosen by God to bring the message to Zachary that he would have a son in his old age. The son, John the Baptist, would prepare Israel for the coming of the Messiah. Archangel Gabriel is then chosen to carry God’s message to the young Virgin Mary.

He begins with a greeting, “Hail, Full of Grace, the Lord is with Thee”. The Archangel Gabriel delivers God’s request of Mary, and responds to her question and reassures her with the news of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. When Mary gives her humble Fiat “Be it done unto me according to thy word,” Gabriel takes leave of the Virgin Mary.