THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD

Celebrated on 25th March each year or, if this falls within the Easter period, the nearest day after Easter Week.
A remembrance of the conception of Jesus with the announcement of the Angel Gabriel, and the Virgin Mary’s unconditional “Yes” in reply to God’s request for her collaboration in His divine plan.
This arrival of the Lord is His first triumph over death, and sin, which culminates in His Resurrection and the ongoing fulfilment of His will from that moment onwards.

Scripture Readings

• Isaiah 7:10-14, 8:10
• Psalm: 39:7-11
• Letter to the Hebrews 10:4-10
• Gospel, Luke 1:26-38

Vegan Christian Comment

The Gospel confirms the fulfilment of the sign prophesied in the first reading (Isaiah), in the miraculous conception of Jesus Christ, born of a virgin. He is not born of carnal passions, but in the unabated presence of God.
The Psalm and the Second Reading are references for Vegans to make special note of. These passages give clear interpretation that the ritual slaughter of creatures in the Old Testament are not acceptable, and are to be substituted by the offering Jesus made (firstly of bread and grape juice as a benignly repeatable meal, and secondly by laying down His own life on the Cross confident in His supernatural ability to rise again afterwards and thereby remedy the offence).
It may also be concluded from these passages that wasting food by burning it or pouring it on the ground is abhorrent to God; many holocausts and libations mentioned in the Old Testament were of cereals, wine, oil and aromatic plants. But there can be no confusion about the different status of creatures of the animal kingdom to those of the family of plants. From other closely linked passages we know that the former have not offended Him to deserve condemnation, but the latter He gave to man and the animals as food to eat. Animals are not food, and should not be treated like food or otherwise deprived of food (similarly to humans).
God clearly wishes people to sacrifice practices which degrade flesh. To please Him, flesh must be allowed to fulfil its primary purpose of supporting its causative life.
It is reassuring to know that both Old and New Testaments make this clear.