Feast Day of the Annunciation

“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.” Luke 1:26-38

We are nearing the end of Lent, with Holy Week approaching, but yesterday, March 25, we took a short break to celebrate the feast of the Annunciation to Mary, when she became a God-bearer. We hear the words of the angel Gabriel to Mary, "Greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you!"

What is it like to see an angel? Would we, too, be confused, like Mary? Do we see angels but not recognize them? What does Gabriel look like?

Imagine an angel appearing to us as we sit here reading this message. Can we tell if it’s a man or a woman? Are they dressed in white, blue, or pink? Do they have wings? Do they bring us a flower? Is the voice loud or soft? Is there music? Imagine being called by God's messenger, told that we are the favored ones, and that God is with us.

"Greetings, Edie, Sam, Sally, Henry, Michael, Amanda, Linda, Mark, Vickie, favored one, the Lord is with you! God has called you to a special mission. The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Nothing will be impossible with God. A new life will be born within you."

All of creation holds its breath, waiting for our answer. What is our response? I am too old, too young for a new life. I am a man. I cannot have something born within me. The age of miracles is over. How can something new be born in me? The space inside me is not a pure and holy place for the birth of the sacred.

Gabriel's message is alive and meant for each of us this Lent, not just for the historical Mary from so many years ago. It is for you and me.

The angel Gabriel appears to each of us individually, asking whether we will accept God being born within us through the Holy Spirit. We each have that chance, daily, hourly, and especially during this Lenten season. The miracle is still happening. The gift is offered this afternoon. We only need to be open to receive it. We are all favored by our Lord, just as Mary was. He is with us as he was with Mary. We are given the same opportunity for new birth within us that she was.

My prayer for this Lent and the upcoming Holy Week is that each of us will answer the call like Mary does, saying, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." May these words be on our lips and in our hearts daily, as God sends his messenger to reveal his presence within each of us. May we also stay attentive to the voice of another angel at the empty tomb, who will soon announce that Christ, this new life within us, has now risen from the dead.

The birth announcement has been made and heard.

Feel a new birth kicking within us.

Joanna joannaseibert.com