Reflection by Brian Cadag
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On the first full day of the pilgrimage in the Holy Land we travelled to Nazareth which was the highlight of the whole journey for me, the Basilica of the Annunciation. Upon seeing the exterior of the Basilica, I initially thought that Saints Anne and Joachim must have been wealthy to have a house this large, but I was proven wrong as the house of Mary was inside of the basilica. Contained within this grand basilica stood the remains of a house that spanned about length of two cars with the interior being no larger than the space of one car. As we lined up to get a closer look at this miraculous location, I heard people speaking familiar words on the second floor. After a couple of seconds, I came to realize that the words of consecration were being spoken above us and that is when it all clicked. Right above us, Mass was being celebrated, and at that moment Jesus was being made present in the Eucharist as we approached the place where the Word became flesh in Mary.
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I was struck with awe during that moment as the timing was perfect for this connection to be made which set the tone for the rest of the pilgrimage. We have the blessing of seeing the house of Mary where the Annunciation took place, but all who partake in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist can encounter Jesus being made present to them in the Eucharist each and every day. During this season of Lent we are on this journey to the death and resurrection of Jesus; the Annunciation can remind us to look to Mary and come back to the beginning. In coming to the place where Mary began her motherhood we are reminded that this was only the beginning of her journey with Jesus.
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Perhaps we can take some time to remember where we began this Lenten season and recall our “yes” to deepen our relationship with God. Mary journeyed alongside Jesus during his life, death, and resurrection and we are called to walk alongside them during this season of Lent. In remembering where Jesus began with us we are then invited to see where He is working with us now and have the faith to know that He is with us always.
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| Brian Cadag is a First Theology seminarian for the Archdiocese of Newark.
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