The Annunciation

The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary

Gospel Lection

»In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God." And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.« (‭‭Luke‬ ‭1,26-38‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

Homily

Nine months out, our thoughts are probably not on Christmas. We have other things on our mind: social distancing, shut down of many businesses and perhaps pandemic fear. God often works in our lives to refocus our attention, and He does so with the Annunciation. Our thoughts are diverted to Mary. 

God had chosen her to be the mother of His Son. The Council of Ephesus in AD 431 decreed that Mary is the mother of God (Theotokos) because Jesus is both God and man: one person with two natures (Divine and human) united. The Son of God would enter this world, and the world would be changed forever. 

Jesus arrived to forgive our sins. He also healed people who were sick, and the Gospels tell numerous stories of these miracles. Jesus treated the effects of the curse of sin. This brings comfort to us as we live through the most recent pandemic. God has not forgotten us; He has not forsaken us; He is in our midst comforting and consoling us. 

We look ahead on 25. March to the joy and happiness of Christmas. But looming much closer is Holy Week, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Here we see the culmination of Gabriel’s announcement to Mary. Jesus forgave our sin; He redeemed us back to God the Father; the curse of sin, death, has been overcome. More than ever we need to hear this gospel, believe it and rejoice over it. God is with us, and nothing is impossible with God. 

Collect

O Lord, as we have known the incarnation of Your Son Jesus Christ by the message of the angel to the Virgin Mary, so by the message of His cross and passion bring us to the glory of His resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Treasury of Daily Prayer)