Daily Gospel Reflection
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March 25, 2023
The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.
Reflection
As a child, I knew if I didn’t get the answer I wanted from one parent, I could ask the other. Not surprisingly, this strategy was short-lived. I knew it was over when one parent asked me what the other parent had said—they were united in purpose, parenting me well.
My role in this age-old strategy has changed now that I am a mother to three teenagers, and every day, I have to say yes or no to their questions.
“Can I get coffee after school, Mom? I’m really dragging today.”
“Yes.”
“Mom, can I play on the XBox?”
“No, it is a school night.”
“Mom, is it ok that I play golf after school?”
“Is your homework done?”
These asks are usually in the form of texts in which I remind them to include Dad. They are hesitant because if they do, the answer may differ from what they want to hear as we both weigh in on the circumstances.
In today’s Gospel passage, Luke tells the story of the angel Gabriel visiting Mary to announce that she has been chosen. Mary is initially skeptical as she gathers more information from Gabriel. He shares that Elizabeth, who was barren, is also pregnant because “nothing is impossible for God.”
Once she hears these reassuring words, she tells Gabriel, “May it be done to me according to your word.” This yes is the first of many decisions Mary will make during Jesus’ life with the support and discernment of her husband, Joseph.
Despite the vastly different circumstances of time and place, the importance of being united in purpose held for Mary and Joseph just as it does for modern families. While Jesus may not have asked to play Xbox or grab a coffee, there are examples throughout the gospels of Mary and Joseph discerning the best path forward for their entire family.
Prayer
Almighty and ever living God, Mary found favor with you, and you chose her to bear your saving promise. She questioned “how?” and was told nothing is impossible for the power of the Most High. When we are troubled and question amid our doubts or fears, may your grace abound, stirring the hope that moves us, too, to declare “Thy will be done.” We ask this through Jesus, your Word made flesh, who is Lord forever and ever. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Tradition has placed the feast of the Annunciation—the moment when Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel and conceived Jesus in her womb—exactly nine months before Christmas, on March 25. However, it is sometimes moved so that it does not fall during Holy Week, Easter Week, or on a Sunday.
The story of the Annunciation comes to us from the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke. Six months after the conception of John the Baptist, the angel Gabriel visited Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph, but not yet living in his household.
Gabriel greeted Mary by saying, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” She was confused and troubled, and Gabriel explained, saying, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Gabriel went on to explain that the Holy Spirit will come upon her, and “the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.”
Mary’s response to this incredible invitation: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”
Today’s feast honors the Incarnation by which Jesus takes on our human nature, and it honors Mary for her crucial role in that gracious movement: all of salvation hinges on Mary’s “yes” in this moment. By her “yes” we, also, are destined for divinity. It is her acceptance of God’s call to bear Jesus to the world that gives us the courage and strength to bear Jesus to the world. It is her cooperation with the Word of God that gives our own humanity a share in God’s glory.
Gabriel’s visit to Mary is depicted in the Basilica in both stained glass and in a painted mural, as shown here today.
On this feast of the Annunciation, let us say “yes” with Mary to God’s invitation to bear Jesus to the world!