TODAY’s feast of the Annunciation has a unique place in the cycle of Church celebrations. On one hand, it is directly connected with the feast of the Nativity as it is the announcement to Mary of God’s incarnation through her willing cooperation. On the other hand, this feast almost always occurs during the Lenten season, a time of commemoration of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Thus, the Annunciation touches both the good news that God has become one like us so that we might become as God is, and the greater news that God, in the person of Jesus, has "paid the price" for achieving this end. And as we celebrate the mystery of God’s divine plan, who in Jesus, took our mortal flesh, we likewise gather in thanksgiving to reflect on the deeper meaning of what was announced by the archangel Gabriel to Mary.
Mary’s courageous decision to put her whole self on the line when she positively responded to God’s plan of redemption strikes at the very heart to today’s event. She knew she was hearing something beyond human capability when she heard the angel say: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God." (Luke 1:30) it would be a miracle surpassing all that God had done previously: "Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of David His father, and He will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." (Luke 1:31-33) Her question, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" (Luke 1:34) is not prompted by doubt or skepticism, but by wonderment. Mary’s eventual answer to the angel is, therefore, not a foregone conclusion. She could have refused since she is not a passive instrument but an active participant, with a free and positive part to play in God’s scheme of salvation: She was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. (Luke 1:29)
But being a true hearer of the World, Mary immediately responded with faith and trust. Her "yes" to God’s invitation paved the way for her to become a model of faith for all believers: And Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word." And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:38) She believed God’s promises even when they seemed impossible. She was, indeed, full of grace because she trusted that what God said was true and would be fulfilled.
Like Mary, God’s call comes to all of us in the midst of the full spectrum of joy, suffering, grief and new birth that is present in our own individual, family, communal, national, and global lives. May we hear what God is asking of us, present our fears honestly, and choose to put ourselves on the line for the sake of our salvation and that of our world. We are sustained in this by the overshadowing and fruitful Spirit of God. Let us thank Mary today for her unconditional "Yes" and let us ask her to help us to say our "Yes" to God, today and for the rest of our lives.
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