Begin with a preparatory prayer to ready your heart for the contemplation. Take some time to play these two scenes like a movie in your mind. Let your imagination bring you to these places. Afterward, close with the suggested prayer.

Scene 1: The three persons of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Spirit) are looking down upon the earth filled with people “in all their diversity of dress and appearance, some white and some black, some in peace and others at war, some weeping and others laughing, some healthy, others sick, some being born and others dying.” The Triune God sees all who are living in blindness and going to their deaths without hope. They hear the chatter of the people, the way they talk to each other, cursing and insulting. In unison, the Father, Son, and Spirit say: “Let us rescue humanity from its terrible plight!” They send the Son to become human. As the people on the earth harm and kill each other, the Triune God plans to bring about redemption through the Incarnation. At just the right moment they send the angel Gabriel to Mary.

Scene 2. In the Middle East, in the land of Judea, is the small town of Nazareth. In one humble home, Mary is alone for moment when suddenly an angel appears. The angel speaks to her fantastic things beyond her wildest expectations. Mary is overwhelmed with a sense of humility and gratitude to God.

Closing Prayer:
O God, give me inner knowledge of you who became human for me so that I might better love and follow you. Have a conversation with the Triune God about any thoughts or feelings that came up during this Incarnation Contemplation. Close with the Our Father.