The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary,
and she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Today we take a pause from Lent and celebrate a great solemnity, the feast of the Annunciation; for on this day (9 months preceding Christmas), the mystery of the Incarnation was realized. God hath visited His people. The promise to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:15 is fulfilled. The Christchild has not yet been revealed to anyone but Mary; nevertheless He is truly present, human and Divine.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
Be it done unto me according to thy word.
Whereas Eve cooperated with the devil to temp Adam into committing the original sin, Mary cooperated with God to bring about our redemption by Jesus Christ, the new Adam. The “Ave” spoken by the angel Gabriel reverses Eve’s name (Eva), as Mary’s obedience reverses the disobedience of Eve.
And the Word was made flesh,
and dwelt among us.
This year, the Feast of the Annunciation falls during Passiontide, the two weeks leading up to Easter Sunday. The Word was made flesh for us that He might suffer for us and open for us the inheritance of the adoption of the sons of God. Yet He did not simply come, redeem us, and get out. He dwelt among us and continues to do so in the Sacramental veil of the Holy Eucharist.
Pour forth, we beseech Thee O God, thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made know by the message of an angel, may by His passion and cross be brought to the glory of His resurrection, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
As we accompany the Lord through Holy Week, through His passion and cross, to the glory of Easter Sunday, let us remember with gratitude this day of the Annunciation, the gift of the Incarnation, and the “Yes” that made it possible.
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus.