The Annunciation of the Lord

Today is Thursday the 25 March, The Annunciation of The Lord, in the 5th week of Lent.

Here am I, Lord, I’ve come to do your will.’ As we celebrate the feast of the Annunciation today, can you make these your own words too? ‘Here am I, Lord. I’ve come to do your will.’

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke.

Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him 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 ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to 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 holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’  Then the angel departed from her.

Lent is interrupted today to celebrate the feast of the Annunciation. Mary hears the message that she will become God’s mother. It’s probably a gospel scene that you know well. Where do you find your attention first drawn in it today?

Mary takes time here to understand the meaning of what is being asked of her. Are there aspects of your own life at the moment where you’re puzzled to know what God is doing?

It’s unlikely that at the end of this short conversation with the angel that Mary is fully aware of all the implications of all that has been said. Nevertheless, she finds herself able to say “Yes” to what God is asking. How does that “Yes” strike you?

As the passage is read again, notice all the things that the angel says about Mary’s son Jesus.

The passage ends “Then the angel departed from her”. You might like to end this prayer by talking with Mary about what was going on in her mind and heart in the next few moments after the angel left.

You have given all to me. To you, Lord, I return it. Everything is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.