Fiat - Our Lady of the Annunciation | Strawberries + Acacia Wood
Regular price $24.50
These graceful scents of strawberries and acacia wood are inspired by Our Lady of the Annunciation.
Nuanced with notes of blossoms and hints of exotic spices.
Behind the Inspiration
In Luke 1:26-38, we hear the story of the Annunciation. The archangel Gabriel announces to Mary that she has been chosen to be the mother of the Savior, and with great trust and joy Mary says yes, assenting with her fiat, which is Latin for "Let it be done." In this moment, the Blessed Virgin Mary becomes also the Blessed Mother.
The strawberry plant symbolizes Mary, because it is uniquely in blossom and in fruit at the same time. The pure white strawberry blossoms point to Mary's perpetual virginity, and the strawberry fruit points to Jesus, the fruit of her womb.
In becoming the mother of God, Mary has become the new Ark of the Covenant, since she is carrying Our Lord in her very self. As we know from Jewish scripture, the original Ark of the Covenant was the place where God met man and dwelt with him (Exodus 25: 8, 22), and Mary is where God was made man and dwelt with us.
And just as the glory of the Lord descended and “overshadowed” the Old Testament Tabernacle, which holds the Ark of the Covenant, the “power of the Most High” descended and “overshadowed” Mary (Luke 1:35). “Mary, in whom the Lord himself has just made his dwelling, is the daughter of Zion in person, the ark of the covenant, the place where the glory of the Lord dwells” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2676).
At God’s own direction, the Ark was built completely out of acacia wood, which was prized for its incorruptibility. Significantly, when Pope Pius XII defined the dogma of Mary’s assumption into heaven, he recalled those who “have looked upon the Ark of the Covenant, built of incorruptible wood and placed in the Lord's temple, as a type of the most pure body of the Virgin Mary, preserved and exempt from all the corruption of the tomb and raised up to such glory in heaven” (Munificentissimus Deus, 26).
There are so many more parallels between the Ark of the Covenant and Mary! For further reading, I recommend Exodus 25, Luke 1, Revelation 11-12, and Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary by Brant Pitre.
The feast of the Annunciation is March 25. (Fun fact: this is exactly nine months before Christmas!)
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Our Lady of the Annunciation, pray for us.
Please allow between 1-3 business days for order processing, prior to shipping.
Standard and Expedited Shipping
We offer 4-6 day standard shipping, two-day and next-day expedited shipping at regular industry shipping rates, depending on the carrier. All shipping rates are calculated at checkout. Ordering deadlines vary for shipping options. Shipping costs are non-refundable unless there is an error that falls under the responsibility of Crossroads Collective.
Local Pick Up
Order online & pick up at Crossroads Collective! We will communicate with you through email, text message, and/or phone call, depending on the contact information you entered at checkout, as soon as your order is ready for pick up at Crossroads Collective!
Pick up days for orders placed:
Monday - Thursday will be available the following day.
Friday - Sunday will typically be available on Monday.
Monday - Friday before 12pm may be available the same day.
We are located in Lafayette's Oil Center at 1416 S. College Rd. Lafayette, LA 70503, across from Ochsner Lafayette General and in the same shopping center as Hub City Diner.
Order Status & Tracking
For information about our shipping options, please visit our shipping page here.
Questions?
Contact us or call 337-988-3569
Yes, we do accept returns in store for items purchased online!
Our Return Policy for Refunds or Exchanges
Returns for refund or exchange of unused, full priced and non-seasonal items are accepted within 30 days of purchase with original packaging and receipt. Items bought as a Christmas gift can be returned through January 15th.
Items cannot be returned if purchased on sale. Items cannot be returned if purchased at full price but on sale at the time of return. Items cannot be returned if used, opened, damaged, without original packaging or without a receipt. If 30 days have gone by since your purchase, unfortunately we cannot offer you a refund or exchange. Store credit may be offered in certain situations.
Several items cannot be returned, including but not limited to seasonal items, gift cards, monthly magazines, lotions, soaps, cologne, perfume, antiques, digital products for download, among others. Please inquire for more detail.
Shipping costs are non-refundable unless there is an error that falls under the responsibility of Crossroads Collective.
Process for Items Purchased Online
Items purchased online may be returned in store or shipped with a return approval. Please submit a request to return items for a refund or exchange by coming in, contacting us or calling 337-988-3569.
If an item is shipped back to us without prior approval, we will inspect the item and send an email notifying you of the approval or rejection of your return.
You will be responsible for paying the shipping costs to return your item.
Shipping costs are non-refundable unless there is an error that falls under the responsibility of Crossroads Collective. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund. If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We can’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.
Online Order Returns for Refund: If your request for a return is approved, we will process a refund, less the shipping costs, with a credit automatically applied to your original method of payment. This can take up to 15 business days to fully process.
Online Order Returns for Exchange: If your request for an exchange is approved, we will work with you to process the exchange and price difference. Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you may vary.
Please come in, contact us or call 337-988-3569 to inquire further.
