Let It Be With Me

The angel of the Lord announced unto Mary, and she conceived by the Holy Ghost

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.

Today we take a break from Lent.  We take a break from our fast, from our solemnity, and from everything that this penitential season entails.  Why?  Because today is the Feast of the Annunciation! And while the season of Lent calls us into preparation through prayer and fasting, today is a day for feasting,  for taking the ‘Alleluias’ out and celebrating.

So what are we celebrating today, exactly?  The Annunciation marks the occasion on which the angel Gabriel came to a poor, young Palestinian woman and told her that she would become the theotokos, the “God-bearer.”  With this action the whole of human history was turned on its head.  It was not in majesty, riches, or pomp & circumstances that God chose to be born into this world.  Rather, God decided to enter the world in loneliness, poverty, and great humility.  By entering this world like all of us, God took on all of our struggles, fears, and joys.  And whereas every other deity had always dwelt far away from humanity, this God—our God—chose to be in relationship with humanity; God’s story became our story and vice versa.  And it all began with the message of an angel to a young girl named Mary.  THAT is what we celebrate today!

This new thing that God was working in Mary’s life must have certainly been frightening; in fact, in every other occasion that an angel meets a human in Scripture, the angel has to remind the human not to be afraid.  However, Mary’s fears are put at ease with her incredible faith.  “Let it be with me,” she says.  Let it be with me.

I wonder what new thing God is doing in you right this moment.  I wonder what heavenly work is being nurtured within you.  Maybe it is frightening.  Still, I pray that you will have Mary’s courage to say yes to it.  Let it be with you.  Let it be with me.  Let whatever new thing God is creating be with us.

So today, as we step away from Lent, I pray that you will celebrate whatever new thing God is stirring up inside of you.  I pray that you will use this day to look around you and see the glory of God’s creation and shout in joy and thanks for the abundance of God’s goodness that lies all around you.  And yes, dust off those ‘Alleluias’ today!

God’s blessings be upon you as you continue your Lenten journey and as we turn the corner toward Jerusalem, the cross, and glory.  But for today, celebrate God’s goodness in you and around you!  Alleluia!!

The Annunciation (Henry Ossawa Tanner, 1898)