SOLEMNITY OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD: Reflection

Theme: BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.

Readings: Is 7:10–14;8–10; Heb 10:4–10; Lk 1:26–38

Dear friends in Christ, today the Church celebrates the annunciation of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Blessed Virgin Mary by angel Gabriel. The proper date for this solemnity is March 25th, which is Nine months before Christmas (25th December). However, since 25th March this year fell within the Holy Week, the solemnity was moved to today, Monday of the Second Week of Easter.

The feast of annunciation celebrates the abundant love of God for humanity. God loved the world so much that He took the initiative to send His Only Son to the world to redeem this world by dying a shameful death on the cross.

The first reading showed us the prophecy of the birth of the Immanuel, the One through whom the house of Israel (and the entire world) will be redeemed. In the gospel reading, the angel of the Lord was sent to Virgin Mary to announce to her that God has chosen her to be the mother of His Only Son. Our attention is drawn to the positive response of Mary to God’s message and choice of her despite the fact that the message was discomforting and shrouded in mystery. So, it was Mary’s total, unconditional and complete availability to God’s message/mission that set in motion the events of our salvation; her fiat opened the door for the realization of the prophecy of the birth of the Immanuel. She said to the angel: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.”

The second reading captured the same kind of response that the Blessed Virgin Mary gave to God. It said: “behold, I have come to do your will, O God.”

Dear friends, God has many initiatives for our lives. However, he wants us to trust Him and to give a total positive response to Him and to His many plans for us, even if we do not fully understand them or how they will be realized in our lives, as it happened to Mary. The Church encourages us to always respond to God saying: “behold, I have come to do your will, O God”, for His plans for us are for good and not for evil.

May your new week be blessed and fruitful. Amen.

Fr Isaac Chima