One of the best depictions of the Annunciation, which the Church commemorates on March 25 each year, is in the song "The angel Gabriel from heaven came":
The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;
"All hail," said he, "thou lowly maiden Mary,
most highly favored lady," Gloria!
"For know a blessed Mother thou shalt be,
all generations laud and honor thee,
thy Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold,
most highly favored lady," Gloria!
Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,
"To me be as it pleaseth God," she said,
"my soul shall laud and magnify his holy Name."
Most highly favored lady, Gloria!
Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ, was born
in Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn,
and Christian folk throughout the world will ever say--
"Most highly favored lady," Gloria!
As we've discussed here before, Mary's unique graces and privileges all stem from the single fact of her role as Mother of God. Because Jesus comes into the world through her, she was prepared from the first moment of her Immaculate Conception, preserved free from all stain of original sin. Through her continued acceptance of God's will, she remained free from sin all the days of her life, in perfect enmity with the devil, in perfect harmony with the Holy Spirit, her Spouse, and with Jesus, her Son, thus perfectly obeying the Father as a loyal, loving daughter.
And so when the angel Gabriel came, she could give God a full, free, and loving yes. When Christ was incarnate, He was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, passing through her as through the Gate of Heaven, making of her the House of God. She and she alone of all of humanity bore God almighty within her womb for nine months. She and she alone of all humanity can speak of God her Son in the most direct, bodily sense.
And so we celebrate the Annunciation, when humanity responded fully to divinity, when God took on human flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary, when creation welcomed its creator, when God became man and began to set us all free from sin, from death, from the lord of this world (see 2 Cor 4:4). We celebrate the day of the dawning of our liberation, when God became man so that human beings might become the sons and daughters of God almighty, partakers of the divine nature (see 2 Pt 1:4). We celebrate this feast in the spring, for it was the beginning of the end of the winter of our sin and separation from God. We celebrate this feast as the days lengthen and the nights grow short, for the Light of Christ was coming into the world. We celebrate, for the Bridegroom has entered into the world, and so it is appropriate that all rejoice, even in the midst of Lent.
So on this great feast of the Annunciation, let us rejoice and be glad, for our God has come. Let us offer prayers and intercession for all those who still live as though Christ had not come, so that they may see a great light (see Mt 4:16).
If you consecrated to Jesus through Mary or completed the Consoling the Heart of Jesus retreat, we'd love to hear your story. Please take a moment and share your journey below. If you have pictures, we'd love to see them, too. Just email them to HAPP@Marian.org!