The announcement of a coming birth is an occasion of great joy and hope. In today’s Gospel the angel Gabriel announces to Mary the coming birth of Jesus who “will be great and will be called Son of the Most High.” The angel proclaims the holiness of Mary: “Hair, full of grace! The Lord is with you…you have found favor with God.”
This announcement to Mary about a coming birth also brings fear and puzzlement to as she declares: “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” The angel proclaims an even greater mystery than just a coming birth, she will conceive through the holy Spirit. We proclaim this mystery each Sunday in the Creed at mass: “…Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary…” Mary, despite her fear and puzzlement, puts her trust in God and shows the true meaning of faith: “Behold, I am the handmaid (servant) of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”
Faith for Mary, for Paul, and even for Jesus is putting God’s will before one’s own will. In today’s second reading from Hebrews we hear, “Christ came into the world” not to do his own will but “As is written of me in the scroll, behold, I come to do your will, O God.” Jesus makes this his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will.” (Mark 14:36). Like Mary, St. Paul describes himself as a servant or slave: “Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God.” (Romans 1:1).
Faith is putting God’s will before our own will, our first impulse or “gut reaction.” Every time we pray the Our Father, we make this our prayer: “Our Father…thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Today as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord let us be filled with joy and hope at the announcement of the coming of our Lord Jesus both at Christmas and at the end of time. Let us remember Jesus’ promise to us: “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20).
Image: “Annunciation to the Virgin, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, 1660 – 1680” by Free Public Domain Illustrations by rawpixel is licensed under CC BY 2.0.