"The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be." Luke 1.28-29

Carlo Crivelli. Venice. The Angel of the Annunciation, 1482, and The Annunciate Virgin, 1482. Altar panels, now in the Städelisches Kunstinstitut, Frankfurt am Main.

Virgin
—Luci Shaw

As if until that moment
nothing real
had happened since Creation

As if outside the world were empty
so that she and he were all
there was—he mover, she moved upon

As if her submission were the most
dynamic of all works: as if
no one had ever said Yes like that

As if one day the sun had no place
in all the universe to pour its gold
but her small room

— from: Accompanied By Angels:
Poems of the Incarnation. Eerdmans, 2006.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
who chose the Blessed Virgin Mary
to be the mother of the promised saviour:
fill us your servants with your grace,
that in all things we may embrace your holy will
and with her rejoice in your salvation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

J. S. Bach. Choral cantata for the feast of the Annunciation, BWV 1, Leipzig 25 March 1725.

1. Chorus: Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern | "How beautifully shines the morning star."
2. Recitative (tenor): Du wahrer Gottes und Marien Sohn | "You true son of God and Mary."
3. Aria (soprano): Erfüllet, ihr himmlischen göttlichen Flammen | "Fill, you divine flames of heaven"
4. Recitative (bass): Ein irdscher Glanz, ein leiblich Licht | "A glitter from the earth, a light from the body."
5. Aria (tenor): Unser Mund und Ton der Saiten | "Our mouths and the sound of strings."
6. Chorale: Wie bin ich doch so herzlich froh | "How full I am therefore of heartfelt joy."

Full texts in German and English here.