Solemnity of The Annunciation of the Lord
I come to do your will
Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10; Hebrews 10:4-10; Luke 1:26-38
In today’s liturgy of the Word, we listen to the conversation that took place between the eternal Word and God. The author of the letter to the Hebrews tells us that the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament were incapable to purify us from sins. Thus, God devised another way to save us. That another way was to prepare a body for his Son in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. “A body you prepared for me”, says the eternal Word to God (Heb. 10:5).
Although the decision that the Word will become flesh and will dwell among us was made in eternity, it took time for that plan to be exercised in history. The prophecy of Isaiah from the first reading about the sign of Immanuel was delivered in the year 733 BC. Neither Isaiah nor Ahaz knew to whom that sign could refer. Pope Benedict XVI calls this prophecy a hanging passage that awaits its fulfilment. It would take another several hundred years before the world could see the virgin and her child in the manger of Bethlehem.
The story of the annunciation is one of the most used Gospel during our liturgical year. We hear it during Marian feasts and during the season of Advent, which makes it very familiar. But there is a danger in familiarity - we may think that we know it all. So, let us look at it again. The story follows an interesting pattern that is unique to the writing of Luke. There are five components in this pattern: angel, fear, reassurance, message, and sign.
The appearance of an angel indicates that something extraordinary is about to happen. An angel announced the conception of John the Baptist to Zechariah and the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. The reaction to the appearance of the angel is fear. Zechariah was scared, the shepherds were afraid, and so was Mary. But, in each case, the angel tells those who encounter him not to be afraid. Then, there is the message. In the case of Mary, the message is amazing. The fullness of time has arrived, the prophecy of Isaiah is going to be fulfilled, at last, we know the name of the virgin. Mary was chosen to be the Mother of the Messiah, the Son of God. Finally, there is the sign that confirms the message of the angel. In the case of Mary, the sign is the pregnancy of old Elizabeth.
St. Bernard of Clairvaux wrote centuries ago that the whole universe awaited the answer of Mary. But, not only the willingness of Mary was necessary for the Word to become flesh. First of all, the Word himself had to be willing to come and dwell among us. If Mary said, “Yes”, in time, the Word said, “Yes”, in eternity. Let us again listen to that conversation between God and the eternal Word: “Behold, I come to do your will” (Heb. 10:7). A popular saying states that "it takes two to a tango". From eternity, the Word of God said, “Behold, I come to do your will”; in time, Mary said: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).
Thus, there is God’s will to save humanity, Christ’s willingness to come and dwell among us, and Mary’s obedience to take part in God’s plan of salvation. In this way, the incarnation of the Word took place. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14) to purify us from sins by offering his body on the cross (Heb. 10:10).