ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD

25 MARCH 2023: ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD Pivot: Direct action! Indicative: The annunciation of the Lord to Mary is a decisive moment, a turning point in the history of salvation. It is when God directly gets into action 1.      Liturgically, during the holy lent, only two feasts are celebrated as solemnities with the Lenten exemptions from fasting and abstinence and the liturgical solemnisation. They are, as we know, the feast of St Joseph on 19 March and the Annunciation of the Lord on 25 March 2.      They are so, not by chance but with a clear and valid purpose. Joseph and Mary are the two greatest pillars of the new history of salvation through Jesus Christ. They are the immediate and direct partners that were directly involved in the divine plan. Therefore, both of them and both encounters with them are very significant 3.      The Annunciation is the threshold of God’s new plan of salvation. It is new, not in the sense of a sudden or totally different, unprecedented, unexpected and unknown development. It is new in the sense of a “new turn” in the history of salvation 4.      As the Letter to Hebrews states: “Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son”. Thus, though God’s interventions and His manifestation of benevolence, mercy and power have always been there, still the decisive difference is “God becoming a man” 5.      Till then, it was all mediated through Law, leaders and prophets. But at God’s own appointed time, God directly gets into action, incarnates himself, and through the paschal mystery of his passion, death and resurrection, obtains salvation and redemption. This is truly the new era, new creation where God himself, is “walking among men”. 6.      It is new because it is no more limited to a particular nation or place or time. It includes the whole creation and the whole of humanity. It is also not just for a limited time or duration and for eternity. Thus, it is new because there is “inclusion” of the whole creation, in the sense that the entirety of creation becomes the recipient of the fruits of salvation 7.      But not only that. It is new because of the “involvement”, “participation”, and “collaboration” of humanity. Thus, Mary is not just an individual person with whom God enters into a negotiation, discussion, decision and a deal 8.      She “represents” the whole of humanity. She is “we’ in person. It is this “inclusive” and “representational” character of Mary that makes the event of Annunciation unique and Mary very singular 9.      Mary’s Fiat is incomparable because it is “the” difference in the whole economy of salvation. Thus, it was not a response and one moment of time. It was a response for eternity. In her docility, surrender and unreserved commitment, Mary elevates the dignity and honour of the whole of humanity. In fact, Mary already “saved” us because she “saved’ our face before God Imperative: Annunciation is a beautiful mirror that reflects both the magnanimous face of God and the humble, submissive collaboration of humans. Let us gratefully and resolutely submit to God’s plans