Mar. 25, 2023 - The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord (replacing Saturday of Fourth Week of Lent)
May you continue to respond to GOD’s plan for your life by saying, “Let it be done to me according to Your will, O Lord!”
Quick – what is nine months from today? If you said, “Christmas!” you would be right. That is why we celebrate the Annunciation today. Nine months before Jesus was born, an angel appeared to Mary and asked her if she would accept GOD’s invitation to be the mother of the Messiah. Obviously, she was overwhelmed at the apparition. How the angel greeted her was just the beginning. Yet Mary, being the humble and gracious (“Full of Grace”) person she was, accepted the angel’s message and submitted to the will of GOD. All human history was changed at that moment. GOD became flesh in the person of Jesus. Our Salvation was being conceived by the power of Spirit of GOD. How awesome it was, and still is. And yet, the fullness of the event has not yet been experienced. People still need to respond to GOD’s invitation in their own lives. Let us say with Mary, “Let it be done to me, according to Your will, O Lord!”
May you continue to respond to GOD’s plan for your life by saying, “Let it be done to me according to Your will, O Lord!”
Quick – what is nine months from today? If you said, “Christmas!” you would be right. That is why we celebrate the Annunciation today. Nine months before Jesus was born, an angel appeared to Mary and asked her if she would accept GOD’s invitation to be the mother of the Messiah. Obviously, she was overwhelmed at the apparition. How the angel greeted her was just the beginning. Yet Mary, being the humble and gracious (“Full of Grace”) person she was, accepted the angel’s message and submitted to the will of GOD. All human history was changed at that moment. GOD became flesh in the person of Jesus. Our Salvation was being conceived by the power of Spirit of GOD. How awesome it was, and still is. And yet, the fullness of the event has not yet been experienced. People still need to respond to GOD’s invitation in their own lives. Let us say with Mary, “Let it be done to me, according to Your will, O Lord!”
Readings can be obtained from: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/032523.cfm
Annunciation of the Lord:
https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/annunciation-of-the-lord
Readings: Isaiah 7: 10-14, 8: 10; Psalm 40: 7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 11;
Hebrews 10: 4-10; Luke 1: 26-38
Today we celebrate the Annunciation of the Lord. This solemnity is observed normally on March 25, nine months before Christmas. Today’s readings point to the importance of the solemnity.
In the reading from Isaiah, we hear that a young woman (also translated as “a virgin”) will conceive a son. The child will be called Immanuel, “GOD with us.” Today we celebrate the conception of the Lord Jesus in the womb of the virgin, Mary. Jesus is truly “GOD with us” in a way that no one could ever have imagined before His time, and many people do not fully comprehend or appreciate even to this day.
The psalm echoes the words of the readings from Hebrew (our Second Reading today). What GOD wants is not a lot of rituals and sacrifices. GOD wants people to accept the gifts GOD has for them and respond by seeking to do the will of GOD. Mary was willing to do so. She said “yes” to GOD’s will, even though she did not know what it would entailed. Jesus also said “yes” to the will of His Abba-Father. And thus, Jesus, the Son of GOD, was conceived as a human in the womb of Mary, by the overpowering of the Holy Spirit.
The reading from the Letter to Hebrews expands the psalm and applies it to Jesus. Jesus came not to perform sacrifices and rituals. Jesus came to do the will of His Abba – to announce the GOoD News of GOD’s love and GOD’s desire to have a more personal relationship with each and every person. This was only done by the Son of GOD’s offering of His human body in perfect obedience to the will of His Abba.
The Gospel today is the account of the angel (“messenger”) Gabriel appearing to Mary and asking her if she would consent to be the mother of the Messiah, the mother of the Savior, the mother of “GOD with us.” Mary does not understand how that could be possible since she has “not known man,” i.e., had no physical relations with a man. She is not doubting GOD’s request, she is wondering how it would be possible. After being informed it will be by the power of the Holy Spirit, she says her fiat, “Let it be.” This is her complete submission to the will of GOD.
It is important we celebrate the conception and incarnation of Jesus as a human in the womb of Mary, but more important than Jesus’ human beginning (His incarnation) is His suffering, death, and resurrection. Yes, it is true without the conception and incarnation there could be no suffering, death, and resurrection. Yet, Jesus’ becoming human was only the beginning of what His full earthly mission and ministry was to be. His obedience in becoming human was to lead to His obedience in giving His life for others. So often Christians put greater emphasis on Jesus’ birth and celebration of Christmas, than they do on the importance of Jesus’ death and resurrection. The Church reminds us that the reason Jesus became human was to give His life for our salvation by His dying on the cross and also to restore life to us through His resurrection.
Another thought that struck me is the submission to the will of GOD. Mary was willing to do the will of GOD. She did not always know what that fully meant. Today’s solemnity is an example. A young maiden is approached by a messenger (angel) of GOD. That would be startling in and of itself. Gabriel declares Mary’s graced position in the eyes of GOD. The angel announces GOD’s plan to have the Messiah, the Christ, the Chosen One of GOD, be born of Mary. Mary wonders how this could be possible. She is a virgin. Gabriel says it will be by the overshadowing of the Ruah YHWH, the Spirit of GOD, that the Son of GOD will take flesh in her womb. She only needs to accept the gift and say “Yes” to GOD’s plan – GOD’s will. Not knowing all the implications of what this means and how GOD will work it out, and also realizing that there will be a lot of further unknowns in the days and weeks and years ahead, Mary obediently says her fiat – “Let it be done to me according to GOD’s will” or simply, “Your will be done.”
Obedience to GOD is not always tied into full understanding of what lies ahead. It is trusting that GOD will provide the strength-fortitude and knowledge and wisdom on an “as needed” basis, as the plan unfolds. Obedience is hearing what GOD says and being willing to trust that GOD will see us through it all (providence). Obedience is part of the response of a disciple – a disciplined learner of the Master-Teacher.
This submission to the will of GOD is also manifested in Jesus. As the Son of GOD, co-eternal with the Abba, He was perfect. Yet, in response to His Abba’s plan, the Son of GOD was willing to humble Himself and become human. In His human nature, He would be limited and He would face challenging times. Yet the Son was willing to do what His Abba asked. The Son of GOD was willing to allow Himself to be limited by His human nature. Jesus was willing to say His fiat – “Let it be, not as I wish but as You will.” Jesus repeatedly said this from before the Annunciation to Mary, throughout His life, and especially during His passion and death.
Today we celebrate the fiat of both Jesus and Mary – their willingness to hear GOD’s plan and accept it, no matter where it would lead. And today we are reminded that this was only the beginning of their doing the will of GOD. The climax of their fiat would come at the cross and the empty tomb and the ascension to the Abba in heaven.
Today we are invited to hear GOD’s announcement (annunciation) to us. We are asked to accept what GOD has planned for us. We may not know fully where it leads and what lies ahead. The message is being given, we can respond by saying “fiat” – “Let it be” or we can refuse the invitation. The choice is ours.
Blessed are You, LORD GOD, always offering us a choice. Through Your GOoDness, You invite us to an ever deepening relationship with You. You give us the freedom to say “Fiat” or to say “No.” We ask that You continue to overshadow us with Your Holy Spirit and give us the courage to respond with affirmation to Your requests. We may not always see the big picture, but we ask You to fill us with the trust that You will empower us to do whatever You ask of us, just as You did for Mary and Your Son, Jesus. We thank You for Your patience when we have not fully committed ourselves to doing Your will and we seek Your forgiveness. We give You glory, honor, and praise in and through our Brother Jesus, Your Son, Who said His “Yes” to You before the moment of the Annunciation to His death on the cross and Who is Our Risen Lord, and Who is living and reigning with You and the Holy Spirit, our one and only GOD, for ever and ever. Amen.
Song of the Day: Mary, Did You Know sung by Kathy Mattea:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eueVMrIupQ
Annunciation and Magnificat by Marty Haugen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nABzv_TInaI
Thy Will by Hillary Scott and the Scott Family:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp4WC_YZAuw
Video of the Day: The Annunciation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHtmHeCaRPk
© rjk, 03-15-22
Annunciation of the Lord:
https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/annunciation-of-the-lord
Readings: Isaiah 7: 10-14, 8: 10; Psalm 40: 7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 11;
Hebrews 10: 4-10; Luke 1: 26-38
Today we celebrate the Annunciation of the Lord. This solemnity is observed normally on March 25, nine months before Christmas. Today’s readings point to the importance of the solemnity.
In the reading from Isaiah, we hear that a young woman (also translated as “a virgin”) will conceive a son. The child will be called Immanuel, “GOD with us.” Today we celebrate the conception of the Lord Jesus in the womb of the virgin, Mary. Jesus is truly “GOD with us” in a way that no one could ever have imagined before His time, and many people do not fully comprehend or appreciate even to this day.
The psalm echoes the words of the readings from Hebrew (our Second Reading today). What GOD wants is not a lot of rituals and sacrifices. GOD wants people to accept the gifts GOD has for them and respond by seeking to do the will of GOD. Mary was willing to do so. She said “yes” to GOD’s will, even though she did not know what it would entailed. Jesus also said “yes” to the will of His Abba-Father. And thus, Jesus, the Son of GOD, was conceived as a human in the womb of Mary, by the overpowering of the Holy Spirit.
The reading from the Letter to Hebrews expands the psalm and applies it to Jesus. Jesus came not to perform sacrifices and rituals. Jesus came to do the will of His Abba – to announce the GOoD News of GOD’s love and GOD’s desire to have a more personal relationship with each and every person. This was only done by the Son of GOD’s offering of His human body in perfect obedience to the will of His Abba.
The Gospel today is the account of the angel (“messenger”) Gabriel appearing to Mary and asking her if she would consent to be the mother of the Messiah, the mother of the Savior, the mother of “GOD with us.” Mary does not understand how that could be possible since she has “not known man,” i.e., had no physical relations with a man. She is not doubting GOD’s request, she is wondering how it would be possible. After being informed it will be by the power of the Holy Spirit, she says her fiat, “Let it be.” This is her complete submission to the will of GOD.
It is important we celebrate the conception and incarnation of Jesus as a human in the womb of Mary, but more important than Jesus’ human beginning (His incarnation) is His suffering, death, and resurrection. Yes, it is true without the conception and incarnation there could be no suffering, death, and resurrection. Yet, Jesus’ becoming human was only the beginning of what His full earthly mission and ministry was to be. His obedience in becoming human was to lead to His obedience in giving His life for others. So often Christians put greater emphasis on Jesus’ birth and celebration of Christmas, than they do on the importance of Jesus’ death and resurrection. The Church reminds us that the reason Jesus became human was to give His life for our salvation by His dying on the cross and also to restore life to us through His resurrection.
Another thought that struck me is the submission to the will of GOD. Mary was willing to do the will of GOD. She did not always know what that fully meant. Today’s solemnity is an example. A young maiden is approached by a messenger (angel) of GOD. That would be startling in and of itself. Gabriel declares Mary’s graced position in the eyes of GOD. The angel announces GOD’s plan to have the Messiah, the Christ, the Chosen One of GOD, be born of Mary. Mary wonders how this could be possible. She is a virgin. Gabriel says it will be by the overshadowing of the Ruah YHWH, the Spirit of GOD, that the Son of GOD will take flesh in her womb. She only needs to accept the gift and say “Yes” to GOD’s plan – GOD’s will. Not knowing all the implications of what this means and how GOD will work it out, and also realizing that there will be a lot of further unknowns in the days and weeks and years ahead, Mary obediently says her fiat – “Let it be done to me according to GOD’s will” or simply, “Your will be done.”
Obedience to GOD is not always tied into full understanding of what lies ahead. It is trusting that GOD will provide the strength-fortitude and knowledge and wisdom on an “as needed” basis, as the plan unfolds. Obedience is hearing what GOD says and being willing to trust that GOD will see us through it all (providence). Obedience is part of the response of a disciple – a disciplined learner of the Master-Teacher.
This submission to the will of GOD is also manifested in Jesus. As the Son of GOD, co-eternal with the Abba, He was perfect. Yet, in response to His Abba’s plan, the Son of GOD was willing to humble Himself and become human. In His human nature, He would be limited and He would face challenging times. Yet the Son was willing to do what His Abba asked. The Son of GOD was willing to allow Himself to be limited by His human nature. Jesus was willing to say His fiat – “Let it be, not as I wish but as You will.” Jesus repeatedly said this from before the Annunciation to Mary, throughout His life, and especially during His passion and death.
Today we celebrate the fiat of both Jesus and Mary – their willingness to hear GOD’s plan and accept it, no matter where it would lead. And today we are reminded that this was only the beginning of their doing the will of GOD. The climax of their fiat would come at the cross and the empty tomb and the ascension to the Abba in heaven.
Today we are invited to hear GOD’s announcement (annunciation) to us. We are asked to accept what GOD has planned for us. We may not know fully where it leads and what lies ahead. The message is being given, we can respond by saying “fiat” – “Let it be” or we can refuse the invitation. The choice is ours.
- The personal question/action for today: How has the Lord Jesus’ invitation to do the will of GOD been made known to me? Who or what experience(s) has/have been GOD’s angel (“messenger”) to me? Have I always been open to GOD’s “messenger” coming to me and asking me to do GOD’s will? How willingly have I responded with my “fiat” to GOD’s will, even though I did not know all of what was being asked of me? How open to the over-shadowing of the Holy Spirit have I been? Do I pray regularly to be open to the Holy Spirit’s presence and power in my life? How can I help reassure others of GOD’s call in their lives and GOD’s being with them if they but say, “fiat”?
Blessed are You, LORD GOD, always offering us a choice. Through Your GOoDness, You invite us to an ever deepening relationship with You. You give us the freedom to say “Fiat” or to say “No.” We ask that You continue to overshadow us with Your Holy Spirit and give us the courage to respond with affirmation to Your requests. We may not always see the big picture, but we ask You to fill us with the trust that You will empower us to do whatever You ask of us, just as You did for Mary and Your Son, Jesus. We thank You for Your patience when we have not fully committed ourselves to doing Your will and we seek Your forgiveness. We give You glory, honor, and praise in and through our Brother Jesus, Your Son, Who said His “Yes” to You before the moment of the Annunciation to His death on the cross and Who is Our Risen Lord, and Who is living and reigning with You and the Holy Spirit, our one and only GOD, for ever and ever. Amen.
Song of the Day: Mary, Did You Know sung by Kathy Mattea:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eueVMrIupQ
Annunciation and Magnificat by Marty Haugen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nABzv_TInaI
Thy Will by Hillary Scott and the Scott Family:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp4WC_YZAuw
Video of the Day: The Annunciation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHtmHeCaRPk
© rjk, 03-15-22