The Annunciation of the Lord

Readings for the Solemnity of the Annunciation

When I picture this scene between Mary and the angel Gabriel, I see something very dramatic. I think at least on some level, Mary must have understood what was being asked of her, what would be riding on her shoulders. She must have had a sense at least that her boy would be no ordinary boy, but that somehow in him would be the salvation of the world. I find myself wondering, "How did she have the strength to say 'yes' to that?!" How could she give her consent to such an extraordinary task?

Yet, it occurs to me that we stand in Mary's position each time we come to the altar for Eucharist. We take into our very bodies the power that saves the world and we carry him out beyond the walls of the church to our friends and neighbors. The key to understanding this mystery, though, is not that Mary's "fiat" was as routine as our "Amen" can become if we let it, but that our "Amen," each time we receive the Eucharist, is as monumental as Mary's fiat. Both Gabriel's message and the message "The Body of Christ" are to be received with open hands and open heart.

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!

~J