Feast Day of the Annunciation

Luke 1:26-38

We are in the closing days of Lent, with Holy Week approaching, but yesterday on March 25, we took a brief break to celebrate the feast day of the annunciation to Mary that she will become a God-bearer. We hear the words of the angel Gabriel to Mary, "Greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you! "

What is it like to see an angel? Would we, too, be perplexed, as is Mary? Do we see angels and not recognize them? What does Gabriel look like?/

Imagine as we are seated here that an angel appears to us. Is it a man or a woman, or can we tell? Is she dressed in white, blue, or pink? Does he have wings? Does he bring us a flower? Is the voice loud or soft? Is there music?/ Imagine being called by God's messenger, that we are the favored one, that God is with us.

"Greetings, Edie, Sam, Sally, Henry, Michael, Amanda, Linda, Mark Freida, Henry, Vickie, favored one, the Lord is with you! God has called you to a special mission. The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the most high will overshadow you. Nothing will be impossible with God. A new life will be born within you."/

All of creation holds its breath awaiting our answer. What is our response?/ I am too old, too young for new life. I am a man. I cannot have something born within me. The age of miracles is over. How can something new be born in me? The place inside of me is not a pure and holy dwelling for the birth of the sacred./

Gabriel's message is alive and meant for each of us this Lent, not just for the historical Mary so many years ago. It is for you and for me.

The angel Gabriel appears individually to each of us, asking if each of us will accept God to be born within us through the Holy Spirit. We each have that chance, daily, hourly, and especially yearly, during this Lenten season. The miracle is still taking place. The gift is offered this afternoon. We only need to be open to receive. We are all favored by our Lord, as is Mary. He is with us as he was with Mary. We are offered that same opportunity of new birth within us as she was.

My prayer for this Lent and Holy Week is that each of us will answer the call as Mary does, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” May these words be daily on our lips and in our hearts as God sends his messenger to announce his arrival in each of us./ May we also keep our ears open to the voice of another angel at the empty tomb, who will soon announce that the Christ, this new life within us, has now risen from the dead.

The birth announcement has been made and heard./

Feel new birth kicking within us.

Joanna joannaseibert.com