Reflection: Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord

Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord

Today is a wonderful and uplifting feastday! On this feast of the Annunciation of the Lord, we hear the story of the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary and announcing to her the wondrous and fantastic news that she would bear a child. Not only would she bear a child but this child would be conceived in a very unusual way: through God’s divine intervention! Truly, this child would be the Son of God!

In St. Luke’s Gospel account of the annunciation, Mary reacts in a way that any human being would. Initially she was troubled and very confused. She must have asked herself: was she hallucinating? Was this figure before her truly an angel? Was Mary so stunned by these happenings that she wanted to run away but was unable to?

Luke writes that “Mary was deeply troubled” and understandably so. Yet somehow, Mary was able to keep an open mind and an open heart. Though the angel’s appearance was unexpected as well as fantastic, Mary must have sensed the presence of the Holy One. Was it a deep sense of God being present to her through the angel that enabled Mary to remain open and to listen intently?

Mary’s relationship with God must have begun developing a young age. In this passage, it is clear that Mary knew God well and she placed her complete trust in God and she also placed her life in God’s hands. What a model Mary is for all of us!

Most likely, each of us also at times have received news that was unexpected, difficult or perhaps fantastic. Take a moment and remember one of those times. Did you initially experience God in this situation? If the news was good, you might say yes! If the news was painful and difficult, what was your experience of God in those circumstances? Were you upset or angry? Or did you remain open to God?

It is unlikely that God will come to us today by sending an angel to us. However, God will come to us and God will call us. Most likely, our call will not be as special as Mary’s was. (Thank goodness!) Yet at times, God does call us in strange and fantastic ways. Will we be able to have an open mind and heart as Mary did? I pray that we also will trust and place ourselves in God’s loving heart!