Daily Reflection Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

Originally from 3/25/22

We Christians of Roman Catholicism have always held the Blessed Virgin Mary in the highest of regard. And rightly so, I believe. In the churches of the Reformation, Mary sometimes seems to be largely confined to Christmas, though that might not be entirely fair. The Orthodox churches view Mary in ways that are much closer to Catholicism but even they do not embrace the Immaculate Conception (mostly because they do not embrace the concept of original sin not because they believe Mary was a sinner) nor the fulness of our understanding of the Assumption. Mary for us Catholics will always maintain a most unique and exalted place in salvation history.

With that being said, it is worth noting, on this feast of the Annunciation, that outside of the two infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke, Mary appears in precious few places in the gospels. The Synoptics do not say that she was at the cross of her son. Mary basically appears only once (or once more after the two infancy narratives) in the Synoptics among those of his family seeking to see Jesus. It is only in the infancy narrative of Luke where Mary says anything. Other than the Magnificat, she says only two things, “How can this be?” and, “Let it be done to me according to your word,” the great “Fiat” of Mary. In Matthew’s infancy narrative, with its focus on Joseph, Mary says nothing (Joseph also is silent in Matthew as he remains in Luke). Then, of course, in Luke’s account (and he alone speaks of it) of the finding in the temple, Mary asks Jesus, when they finally find him, “Son, why have you done this? Did you not know…?” In John’s Gospel, Mary speaks once, at the wedding feast in Cana when she tells her son, “They have no wine,” and instructs the servants to “Do whatever he tells you,” in effect launching Jesus’ public ministry (over the Lord’s objection, it seems!). Of course, in John, Jesus from the cross gives his mother Mary to the care of the mysterious Beloved Disciple (to the Church, really) in the only explicit placement of the Blessed Mother at her son's cross in all the gospels.

It behooves us to realize that Mary’s rightfully exalted place in the Church and all salvation history is not based so much on any Gospel passage about her, so much as it is upon the person of her son, Jesus Christ. Because it was through Mary that, in the words of the great Prologue of John, “The Word became flesh.” That is why the Orthodox churches call her “Theotokos,” the bearer of God (or mother of God as we say in the Hail Mary prayer). It was through Mary that the Incarnation occurred. Jesus’ humanity was taken from his mother Mary’s.

And the Annunciation tells us something more. Like all human beings Mary was created with perfect freedom. It is that which makes us all real; truly beings created “in the image of God” and not just some sort of puppet or automaton under some outside control. Mary could have chosen to reject the angel’s message. She could have said no. But she was, like her son would be, completely surrendered to the will of God. But it was her decision and no one else’s. It is for that reason that we revere her so. She knew, as Simeon would prophesy to her in the temple with her newborn son, that a sword would pierce her soul because of this, but she fully submitted anyway. Out of a love that passes understanding.

In a very real way, Mary’s total surrender was an integral part of our salvation. It could not have happened without her. It is a profound mystery how this can be, how she was chosen from the foundation of the world. It is not so much something we understand as something we believe on faith. And something we give great thanks for. We too are invited to surrender to God in the way she did. She is our model of what God can do for us if we but let him. But in all of this there lies the profound mystery of our involvement in our own salvation. Is it all God’s grace or must we somehow say yes? I feel we must somehow say yes, though we don’t really know how to do that or always know what that means exactly. Mary, knowing she was but a “lowly handmaid,” proclaimed, “All generations shall call me blessed, for the LORD has done great things for me and holy is His name.” But that can be our hymn too, if we allow God to do great things for us by our surrender also. As Zechariah proclaimed in his hymn, the Benedictus, “God has come to His people and set them free… free to worship him without fear, holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.” We are also called to holiness. Not the unique holiness that is Mary’s by God’s eternal will, but one that is our own since we have all been somehow chosen also. For it is ultimately not our own holiness that we share in, but only God’s in a fulness won for us by Christ, the source of all that is holy. All we have to do is say with Mary, let it be done to me according to your will.