Today, we celebrate the Annunciation of the Lord, a solemnity that comes near the end of our commemoration of the holy season of Lent. Today’s joyful celebration has the liturgical color of white, in contrast to the purple color of Lent.
We might wonder where we get the word “Annunciation." It comes from the same root word as the verb “announce” in English. The Angel Gabriel makes an announcement today to the Virgin Mary about the upcoming birth of her son. The annunciation is celebrated on March 25, 9 months before Christmas day.
The Annunciation is an important celebration to us in our liturgical calendar and is celebrated as a solemnity, the highest order of a liturgical celebration. Perhaps the importance of the annunciation, of God being born as man, can be found in Mary’s answer to the Angel. St Bernard, the influential abbot of the Abbey of Clairvaux in France in the 12th century, saw Mary as the new Eve in a theological sense. After Adam and Eve had rejected God’s friendship, the world became clouded in darkness and sin. God sought to enter the world in a new way through the birth of his son, Jesus. Salvation is offered to humanity through Jesus the son. Through Mary’s free will, she said yes to her role in becoming the Mother of our Savior. The humble and gracious Mary made a bold, daring move by saying “yes” to the Lord. In her response, Mary changed the history of salvation forever. Mary answers the Lord from the depths of her heart and soul: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” In Mary’s affirmation to the Angel’s message, she becomes not only the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of the Church, but also our Beloved Mother and her son’s first Disciple, the first one who believed in Him.
May the example of Mary in the Annunciation breathe new life in our faith. May it give us strength and encouragement in these last days of our Lenten journey.
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