The Feast That’s Never Celebrated
March 25, 2026
Fr. John Riccardo
“And the virgin’s name was Mary.” Lk 1:27
March 25, as many of us know, is the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. Today, the Church celebrates that real moment when one of God’s most majestic creatures, the archangel Gabriel, was sent “in the fullness of time” to visit the greatest of all His creatures. Luke’s dramatic writing of this encounter is done in such a way that he gradually builds up to the “big reveal”: “And the virgin’s name was Mary.”
This universe-altering annunciation was the long awaited fulfillment of a prophecy the Lord had spoken through Isaiah to King Ahaz in Jerusalem some 700 years before: “The virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and he will be called Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us’” (Is 7:14, 8:10). This child would be the one who would liberate God’s family from the age old tyranny of Death and Sin that had reigned ever since another virgin, Eve, fell prey to the seductive voice of another angel – a fallen one. After that disaster, traditionally called “the Fall,” God promised our first parents that He would not abandon us. In fact, He said, there would be enmity between the woman and the serpent. In this enmity, the fallen angel would bruise her heel but she would crush his head (cf. Gen 3:15). In other words, one day, the serpent would suffer a deadly blow.
The serpent knew this prophecy, of course. Together with the other fallen angels, he must have been continually on the lookout for the one who would deliver this blow. But he had no idea when it would be delivered, the manner in which it would come, or by whom. By the time we arrive at the annunciation in Nazareth, thousands and thousands of years had gone by since the tragedy in the garden. In a town that’s seemingly so insignificant it’s not even mentioned in the Old Testament, God’s promise is fulfilled. The moment Mary says “Fiat!” to God, the enemy’s kingdom is doomed and our liberation is assured. And here is why it is only right that the entire human race should honor Mary. Worship belongs to God and God alone, but honor is given to those through whom God does mighty things, and no human person has done anything that remotely compares to what our Lady has done.
Today, though — March 25 — is also the traditional date of Good Friday. According to tradition, Mary’s Child — the God-man, our Rescuer, the Lord of heaven and earth — was both conceived and died on the same day of the year.
This means that today was the day when Jesus, even as He was taking His final breath before descending into the underworld in order to bind the strong man and plunder his strongroom, spoke those most extraordinary words to a violent revolutionary who was nailed to his own cross right beside our Lord’s (cf. Luke 11:21-22): “Today, you will be with Me in paradise.”
Dismas is the name the early Church gave to this man. Dismas is of Greek origin and means sunset, or west. It was given to this man as a symbolic and powerful way to reveal that even at the end of one’s life, “sunset,” if you will, the God who is Love, is still at work, drawing all men and women to Himself, seeking to pull them out of the clutches of our ancient foe and bring them into the Kingdom of God. What an incredibly hopeful truth this is, especially for those we love who at the present might seem or in fact be far from God.
Today is Dismas’ feast day. It’s never actually celebrated in the Church, obviously, as the Solemnity of the Annunciation takes precedence. As we worship the Lord today, and honor Mary, let us also trustingly call upon the intercession of this man who had the honor of dying beside Jesus on that Friday we call “Good.” By God’s grace, and his prayers, may we all hear what he heard: “Today, you will be with Me in paradise!”
Dear Friends,
As we draw near to this Sacred Triduum, we invite you to enter these holy days with us in the spirit of prayer, especially for our priests, who will soon renew their promises at the Chrism Mass. On Holy Thursday, we remember with extraordinary gratitude the gift of the Holy Eucharist and the gift of the priesthood, two profound expressions of Christ’s love for His Church. In this light, we want to share a presentation given by Fr. John this past November entitled, “Priesthood: The Unspoken Crisis, Why Praying for Priests Matters.” If you have the opportunity to watch it, we hope it will encourage you to pray more intentionally and evermore faithfully for the priests who serve us so generously. You can access the talk here. Thank you for your continued support and prayers for us at ACTS XXIX. Know that we are praying for you, especially in these sacred days. May God bless you!
ACTS XXIX Prayer Intentions
March 2026
For the Church in this season of Lent, that God would create within us a clean heart so that at Easter we may shine ever more brightly as a sign of His love to a world longing for Him.
For our ongoing ministry in the Diocese of Orange, California, that we remain attentive to the voice of God and faithfully bless what He has entrusted to us.
For the Jesus Conference, that as we gather in October as God’s family, as His sons and daughters, may be open to all the Father desires to speak, and be sent forth in His power to gather His scattered children.
For our Episcopal Advisory Council, Board of Directors, and faithful friends in mission, that they would know the Father’s delight, grow ever more deeply in His love, and know our heartfelt gratitude for their friendship.