Simeon offers a subtle instruction to Mary: remember the cross.
Whether Mary was reading or spinning or planning her wedding, the annunciation came as an interruption.
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Turnout: Many observers expected this year’s presidential election to be marked by massive turnout by blacks and young people. What happened? The Washington Post (November 16) reports that black voters made up 13 percent of the electorate in 2008, compared to 11 percent in 2004, and voters under 30 were 18 percent of the electorate this year, versus 17 percent in 2004.