What does the Annunciation of the Lord mean to you and me? How has it changed our lives?
Today we give thanks to God and our Blessed Mother. We thank God that the Word of God took on human flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We give thanks to Mary for her saying “yes” to becoming the Mother of God.
Each Monday and Saturday, as we pray the Rosary, we have the chance to reflect upon the Annunciation of the Lord in the first Joyful Mystery. We enter into that incredible exchange with the angel Gabriel greeting Mary with a blessing from God, then reassuring her: to not be afraid.
How Can This Be?
At the Annunciation, the angel Gabriel informed Mary of God’s plan for her to conceive and bear a son who will be named Jesus. A son who will be great, a son who also be called Son of the Most High and is the Son of God. As incredible as this prophetic message of her future son’s path, Mary’s question is a biological and moral one. She asks, how can this be since I have no relations with a man?
And the answer is divine in nature. It’s through the Holy Spirit that Mary will conceive a son. Gabriel goes on to provide further support by citing Mary’s cousin Elizabeth’s own conception of a child that also goes beyond biology, given her advanced age.
Nothing Is Impossible Through God
Gabriel then concludes with the words, that offer each of us hope, when he says to Mary, “…for nothing is impossible for God.” And to that Mary wholly commits her life in saying yes to God, not having all the answers, or even asking for the time to think about it or talk to someone….in faith, she says, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done unto me according to your word.”
Our Own Annunciations
On Sunday, Fr. Fred in his mission talk asked us to reflect on this very solemnity…this Annunciation of the Lord to Mary. Fr. Fred asked: how and through whom has God sent you a message that has changed the course of your life…for the better? How did you respond…were you startled, relieved, joyful, or uncertain?
Mary was full of God’s grace when she received her Annunciation—her message that would forever change her life and the story of mankind. This is why she could speak and ask and think…and then obediently and joyfully say yes to God.
On Saturday, I heard a powerful conversion to the faith story by Jim Wahlberg. He received his “annunciation” …his message from the Lord while in prison…brought by St. Mother Teresa who said, “You are a child of God. You are loved by Jesus.”
Today’s solemnity reminds us all that we are children of God—loved by Jesus and His blessed Mother…let us follow her example and begin each day with the beautiful verse: “Here I am Lord, I come to do your will,” allowing God to lead us through the day with and for Him, throughout our lives.
If you can, thank God and that person who brought that message that changed your life for the better.
- Father Boby's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
- To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday – Friday. Consider inviting others to join too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)
