Gabriel:

From the spectral hues of heaven
you transcend the boundary
between creation and Creator.

Shimmering like the rainbow,
you appear in our shaded sphere;
shaking our sense of safe, familiar
but broken beauty.

Your unearthly presence spans
time and eternity,
finite and infinite,
beginning and end.

With you there is
no prejudice,
no judgement,
no bias,
no spin.

Your mission:
to speak with words
of Divine truth
into the chaos
of our humanity …

To Daniel,
you foretold
the Anointed One’s sacrifice.

To Zechariah
you conveyed good news
promising new life;
leaving him
in the silence
of his disbelief.

And so, to Mary!

Surely, Gabriel,
this was a conversation
like no other.

Between those singular lines
of humble acceptance
you studied and interpreted
her silence
and understood her heart;
a new Eve, obedient and true.

Familiar as you are
with the glory and nature
of heaven,
you would wonder at this:

the kindling of Salvation
and the birth of Grace!

Returning
to the realms of mystery
you bore the answer
to Eden’s question,
“Where are you?”

And so,
Heaven overflows
in ecstatic praise:

“God Incarnate: Love’s great plan!
Joy to the world and Peace to Man!”