Feast of the Annunciation
“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph. And the virgin’s name was Mary.”
Most of us associate this passage with Christmas, we read it often on the third Sunday of Advent. Reasonable enough, as it fits into the narrative of the nativity. It is a passage of hope coming in a time of darkness to a people walking and living in dark, uncertain and occupied times. The time is come, the long-awaited Messiah, the Christ, is come to set the people free! Cue the shepherds and choir of angels and the donkey and the star, “Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king”. Beautiful!
“But”, I hear you ask, “why are we reading and talking about this at the end of March, the beginning of spring?”. Because while it is true it is a passage of hope for the dark season of Advent, the season of waiting and anticipating, we have a time problem which only feeds our impatience and our fulfill me now society.
This announcement promising the birth of God was made Mary one day, but like all births there is a long gap of time from the conception of the promise to the birth of such a gift. Nine months in fact. March 25th is marked in the church calendar as the Feast of the Annunciation.
What God promises will always come to pass, we just need to remember it will take time, God time, three mile an hour time. And that time between the promise and its fulfillment? Well that is life being lived in the shadow between what will be and what is not yet.
The Feast of the Annunciation almost always land some time during Lent, (Easter can happen as early and March 22, but it is rare). In the middle of the season of lament and repentance, as we walk the long lonely road to the cross with the loneliest one of all, as the dark clouds gather with each step, we are suddenly reminded of his birth. Sorrow and grief, for just a moment of distraction, become in us joy and hope.
How fitting this contrast is this year. Never in the history of those living now have we lived in such an uncertain and unusual time. A time where there is only one news story across the planet, one event unifying us and at the same time keep us apart. Lent, the season of gradual isolation, at least for Jesus, is this year a season of isolation for all. Sure, we will get to the other side of this, but when and at what costs? For now, Lent and Advent come together and all we can do is wait, hope, pray and trust knowing that God is God and we are not, oh what a sweet revelation.
I invite you to read, pray and meditate on these words:
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “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 holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” 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.
Amen