We celebrate Jesus’ birth on December 25, even though we don’t know exactly when He was born. Carefully calculating back nine months, the Church today celebrates “The Annunciation of Our Lord.”
“The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph…. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!’ But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High’” (Luke 1:26-32).
Some Christians do not believe that the limited, finite things of our human life can contain the things of the infinite, most high God. Hence Baptism and Holy Communion can only be symbols, they reason, not God breaking into our lives. Is forgiveness only heavenly, not earthly too? Jesus healed a paralytic “that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Mark 2:10). The Annunciation shows that God silently is present in our human life, working unseen to save us.
A reminder that God is with us today, March 25th, nine months before Christmas. “Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).
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