Sunday, December 20, 2015

The Annunciation - A Reflection

One wonders if the Annunciation was not preceded by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, if Angel Gabriel's announcement [1] would cause the young virgin Mary to doubt her own qualifications to shoulder such a great burden, to carry in her womb the child of God.

One could speculate that an ordinary girl her age would first be filled with anxiety upon receiving the news, questioning as to why she was chosen, and would then look in the mirror to see if she is pretty enough to be the mother of God's child.

However, Mary was no ordinary girl -- she was born without Original Sin, and thus could not be classified under any category that humans tends to classify themselves for identification and other purposes and could not be expected to behave like every other sinner.

Although Mary was initially apprehensive as to what Angel's Gabriel's visit meant, she was neither frantic nor reluctant after she was told that she was chosen to give birth to the Son of God.  Her only question, asked calmly, was how that could be possible since she was still a virgin. [2]

Can any sinner react with such perfect humility, confidence and grace when given a similar burden from God without question?  Joseph came close, but not before considering sending Mary away to be on her own when "she was found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit" because "Joseph her husband was faithful to the law." [3]  Only after an appearance by an angel to Joseph did he take the pregnant Mary home with him. [4]


[1] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+1%3A26-38
[2] Ibid.
[3] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%201:18-25
[4] Ibid.

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