Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, the day on which we celebrate the moment when the Archangel Gabriel came to the world, to the poor village of Nazareth, in the region of Galilee, proclaiming to a young virgin named Mary the Good News that mankind had awaited for a very long time.
On this day we remember the moment when Mary said yes to the Archangel Gabriel; the moment when she obeyed the will of God with a perfect humility and devotion, with perfect love and commitment; the moment she conceived the Lord Jesus, Son of God Most High and Savior of all mankind. And it was because of this “yes”, that the world has seen its Savior and God’s long planned salvation that has come to its fruition at long last.
It was at this moment in Nazareth that the Lord made into motion His plan to save all of us. He had promised His beloved people again and again that He would send forth His Salvation to them, and that the Messiah, the Savior, would enter into this world, and through Him all the people of God would find their way to the Lord and be saved.
It was thus why Jesus was born into this world, according to the words of the Scripture itself. As the prophet Isaiah said, that the new light has dawned upon the world, and all those who are living in darkness, would see a great, new light. That light is the light of Christ, Who is the true Light of the world.
God Himself loves us so much that He sent to us none other than His own Beloved Son, the Divine Word Incarnate, God before all ages, Son of God and the third person of the Holy Trinity into this world, to become our Savior. In order to do this, He became Incarnate into the flesh of mankind; that as a Man, while still being Divine, He might share in our humanity, and lifting up all of our sins and unworthiness, He may bring upon us the reconciliation with God.
By assuming our flesh, through the will of God the Father and by the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus the Son has united our humanity with Himself. He became our great and true High Priest, offering for our sake and in our place, the perfect sacrificial offering for our sins and wickedness. It is because of His love for us that He did all of these things. To save us from our fall into hell and damnation, He came into this world for our sake.
But all these were made possible because of the obedience and the faith of Mary, who placed herself into the hands of God, trusting completely in His will and desires, obeying Him as one who is His servant and handmaiden, with the words, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done unto me as He has willed it.” She is an example of perfect and total obedience. It was at that very moment that God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, became Man and took upon Himself the flesh and the nature of mankind.
Let us all ask ourselves during this Lenten season, are we able to be like Mary in our lives, in our deeds, and in our works? Are we able to follow in her footsteps, in how she responded to the Archangel Gabriel?
Let us not think that just because Mary was herself conceived and born without the taint of original sin, she is fundamentally different from any one of us. She also experienced moments of doubt and uncertainty when the Archangel Gabriel suddenly appeared to her and declared to her that she would bear a Child, and the Child is none other than God Himself, and thus, she would become mother of God.
Who would not be surprised when she heard such a shocking revelation? And yet, even though some doubts and uncertainties came to her in the beginning, as she asked the Archangel Gabriel for clarification on how such a thing was possible, as she was still an unmarried virgin, she chose to place her trust in God and surrendered herself completely to do the will of God.
Beloved friends, in this season before Easter, we are called to reflect on the state of our souls, on our actions and deeds in this world that have led us into sin and disobedience against God. This is the time for us to find the way to the Lord by discerning carefully what it is that we need to do in order to draw closer to God. And there is no better way to do so, than to follow in the example of Mary, the mother of God.
Let us all learn from the faith that Mary had in the Lord, putting her complete trust in Him. Despite all the uncertainties and fears she had, she remained faithful and obedient, even to the very end. She placed her faith in God, and she followed her Son all the way to Calvary, to the foot of the Cross, waiting patiently at the side of her Son as He completed the work of salvation for which He came into this world.
May all of us be more like Mary in our ways, our actions, our words, and our deeds. Let us all commit ourselves wholeheartedly to the Lord, following the example of Mary and the holy saints, so that in all things, we may grow ever closer to God, particularly through this perfect opportunity of this Lenten season, seeking forgiveness for all of our sins and wickedness, that we may find our way to the Lord and receive His grace forevermore. Amen.
May God Bless You and Grant You His Peace!