The Story of the Annunciation (10-13)

Of all the things that happen every day in the world, only some are announced. When an event is announced, we know that it has special importance.

The most important announcement ever made was made to just one person—a very young woman. She was not a queen, or the daughter of a rich and influential family. But the announcement made to her was so significant that the Church calls it “the beginning of our salvation.” The archangel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary that she would be the mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation in March. Nine months later we celebrate the Nativity or Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Mary was surprised and puzzled by the angel’s announcement. Though she was engaged to an older man named Joseph, they were not married yet. So Mary spoke up with courage and asked the angel, “How can this be? I have not been with any man."

Gabriel, who is God’s own messenger, told her how this wonderful thing would happen. He said the child born to Mary would be the Son of God. The birth would be a miracle that God would bring about by His great power.

Mary knew that the angel was asking her to do something that would surprise other people as much as it surprised her. What would people say when a young unmarried woman turned out to be pregnant? How would Joseph feel about it? What would the future of this child be—the Son of God Himself!

All these questions did not stop Mary from making the choice to do what God was asking her to do. She could have said “no” to Gabriel, but she said “yes.”  She told him, “Let it be to me according to your word,” which means “Let it be as you have said it will be.” Because Mary said her “yes” to God’s plan, Jesus Christ would be born as a man to save the world. That is why the Church calls this feast “the beginning of our salvation.” We are grateful to Mary for saying “yes” to God so that Christ could come to be with us and save us.

Mary’s response was one of real faith. We know some of the questions that probably came into her mind when she heard Gabriel’s words. She also might have said, “Wait! This will change my life completely. I wasn’t planning on anything like this!”

But Mary showed humility. That word does not mean that she was a scared person who couldn’t speak up for herself. We have already seen that she spoke up to Gabriel and asked a very sensible question. It doesn’t mean, either, that she had a low opinion of herself. She rejoiced at what Gabriel told her, and knew that she was blessed in a very special way. “Humility” means letting God be in charge of your life. The great saints of the Church did this, in many different ways. But Mary did it in the most important way. She said “Let it be,” and our salvation began!