Annunciation

On this March 25, nine months before the officially celebrated date of Christ's birth December 25, the Church recalls the conception of The Lord in a unique manner, as someone who is not of this world but entering the world for the redemption of humanity. 

 The feast of the annunciation is about the incarnation of The Christ in the world.  It is about the marriage of divinity and humanity, coming together in a unique person.  It is also about the significant role of the Blessed Virgin Mary and her cooperation with grace.  

She humbly says: I am the handmaid of The Lord, let it be done to me according to Thy Word. 

 Satan is powerful in distorting the image of God, but he is useless in the presence of the Blessed Virgin.  According to St Louis de Monfort, He is defeated by a lowly handmaid, and that would strike a blow to his ego.  

Nevertheless, it is Blessed Virgin Mary's fiat, her yes, her cooperation with grace that makes it possible for the incarnation.  It would be this event of the annunciation that allows her to be the only person that knows truly how the life of her son would transform the world. 

 And standing at the foot of the cross, she is the only person that knows the extent of injustice that have occurred, because she knows his true identity.  For nine months she carried him in her womb.  She is the human person that is closest to him.  And it is through her invitation and prayers that we come to know the Savior.  

Could she have said no to the Angel Gabriel?  Possibly because of her free will as part of the makeup of being human.  But she has been selected from the very beginning, and God has declared after the fall of Adam and Eve that there will be a woman that will strike the head of the serpent.  It is not just a nice metaphor, because most of us know that one should never play with the cubs in the presence of the Mother.  Because the Mother can be very protective of her cubs, striking you at a given moments notice.  

 Isn't it wonderful that God has given us a spiritual mother from the cross.  "Son, behold your mother.  And Mother, behold your son."

May the feast of annunciation help us grow in gratitude for God who entered the world, and a mother that loves us, entrusted to us, and protects us.  Amen.