The Annunciation of the Lord - Solemnity

Usually, when a married woman finds herself pregnant, she would be quite happy, since she and her husband may have tried several times to become pregnant. There would be weeks of anxious expectation, highs and lows, getting clothes for the new baby, preparing everything necessary, but the budding parents-to-be would be excited and willing to get things ready. When the child is born, all in the family would be extremely happy and proud with having a new addition to the family.

But imagine for a moment, a woman being told she would become pregnant and she was betrothed. Betrothal meant the man and the woman were legally bound to each other although they could not live together until the wedding had taken place. In Israel, a woman who was unfaithful during betrothal was stoned to death. So, when the angel Gabriel said said to Mary, “Do not be afraid,” and then explained that Mary would give birth to Jesus whose father would be the Holy Spirit, Mary could have been perplexed and petrified for a while. She knew that she would face much gossiping and many other nasty things being said about her, as well as the many nasty looks that she would have to endure, but what was Mary's response to the angel Gabriel? Mary simply said: "Be it done unto me according to your word." Her response was faith. She believed. We see how strong her faith really was, for she was willing even to risk death for the sake of obeying God.

In recent times, some of us may have become quite attracted to things being explained scientifically. Some of us may think that science can explain and prove many things. But there are also many instances where science cannot explain or prove. Faith means believing even when science cannot explain or prove. It is because of faith that Mary, a virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit; and an old couple, Zechariah and Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist. Faith believes, as the angel Gabriel said, that “Nothing is impossible to God.”

The Annunciation of the Lord - Solemnity

Whose agenda are you following? Your agenda or God’s agenda? Whose will are you doing? Your will or God’s will? Whose kingdom are you building up? Your kingdom or God’s kingdom? Mary in today's Gospel was certainly not following her agenda or doing her will or building her kingdom when she said ‘Yes’ to the angel Gabriel to become the mother of Jesus.

Imagine the consequences she faced. She could have been stoned to death according to the law of that time. For that reason Mary knew that from the human point of view she may not even be able to bring her pregnancy to its full term, but she had faith to believe that what is impossible for us is possible for God. And so with that faith she said “yes.” She surrendered into the hands of God, and it really was surrendering because she was dwelling into the unknown. She had faith to believe that no matter what difficulties would follow, God would provide a way out and a solution. Mary’s final words to the angel are a model for each of us, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

Surrendering to God, making that act of trust or abandonment into the hands of God, is not easy. It means letting go and like Mary facing the unknown and the unknown scares us. When we are faced with a decision like Mary, will we surrender to God and allow God to do what seems impossible from our human point of view ? Will we surrender our agenda, our will and our kingdom to God and allow God’s agenda, will and kingdom to become a reality?