The Collect for the Solemnity of the Annunciation is:
“O God, who willed that your Word should take on the reality of human flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary, grant, we pray, that we, who confess our Redeemer to be God and man, may merit to become partakers even in his divine nature. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.”
Reflection
This prayer refers to what we often call “the marvelous exchange.” God becomes man so that we can be come like God, “partakers in the divine nature.” The power and grace of Jesus Christ’s incarnation already exists. Now we just need that grace and power to be applied fully to each of our lives. We pray simply that our confession of the Incarnation keeps us in his grace until we can reach the perfection he wants for us.
So, for your daily contribution to the Church’s collection of prayer,
take a moment to reflect on what it means that God became man. Especially since this the Annunciation has come immediately after Easter Week, it should be easy to remember that God became man in order to die and then rise form the death. The Incarnation leads to Easter: God became man to give humanity a path through death into eternal life. Give thanks to God for his humble love and pray that you can learn from his humility and embrace the call to holiness he has for you. Then spiritually unite that prayer to all the Masses throughout the world today. That way, when the priest says “Let us pray,” you can be a part of that “us” even if you don’t get to attend Mass.