GOSPEL
You will conceive in your womb and bear a son.
Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 1:26-38.
The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.
The Word of the Lord.
Wrapped in a sack.
Today we celebrate the solemnity of the Annunciation, which is 9 months and 6 days before Christmas. It is a solemn day because it is a particularly important day and it is worth taking the time to reflect on it. The angel of the Lord announces to Our Mother that the Son of God was going to be incarnate in her. It was something that had been announced for some time, and today, now, that much-awaited moment arrives.
But what are the implications of the Incarnation? For God, who becomes man and remains to be man for the rest of eternity: “dwelt among us.” God involves himself with us to the extent of becoming one of us forever.
And for us, what implications does it have? Primarily that God marries us: He accepts our flesh and therefore our nature, to make us children of God, elevate it, and introduce it into His divine nature. Quite something.
Today the Lord tells me: I give myself to you and welcome you, so that everything of yours is Mine and everything of Mine is yours, and I promise to be faithful to you in joys and sorrows for all eternity. Now that is what getting married means.
Applied to married life:
Ivan: If the Lord became man for eternity and thus commits to us, and if my marriage to you is an image of His love for us, then my commitment to you should be as radical as His.
Marian: Absolutely. But what does that translate to in our everyday married life?
Ivan: Well, I was reflecting on the things where I still struggle to give myself to you or in which it is difficult for me to do so. Moments when I don’t listen to you properly or don’t say what you need to hear. Moments when you ask me for things that weigh on me; situations in which it is hard for me to agree with you… I don’t know. I think I need to make more effort so that my love for you resembles that of the Lord.
Marian: And you haven’t even mentioned how hard it is for you to share your favorite dessert with me when I ask. Haha.
Ivan: You know me too well. Haha.
Marian: I know you inside out.
Mother,
How much the Lord involves himself with me. It gives me goosebumps. Praised be the Lord for all eternity.