The Annunciation of the Lord

ISAIAH 7:10-14; PSALM 40; HEBREWS 10:4-10; LUKE 1:26-38

Today, nine months before Christmas, we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation, when Mary’s faith in God’s goodness prompted her to open herself to do God’s will and conceive our Savior.

The angel Gabriel tells Mary that she had been “favored” by God.  This seems like a strange blessing.  Today we usually assume that those whom God favors will enjoy the things we equate with a good life: social standing, wealth, and good health. Yet, Mary was blessed with having a child out of wedlock who would later be executed as a criminal.

Yet Mary’s “yes” opened the way for Jesus to enter human life with all of it’s sin, violence, and suffering.  The annunciation is an announcement of great hope for humankind. God has not abandoned us to the consequences of our own sinfulness.  God has sent Jesus as our deliverer.

This is a great message for us during these trying times.  Mary was able to be completely open to the Word of God because of her total faith in God’s power and goodness.  May our faith in God’s power and goodness open us to say “yes” to God’s will, and bring hope to a suffering world.