A MISSION HANDCRAFTED FOR YOU!
“Hail, full of grace!”
Many of us may recognize this greeting of the Archangel Gabriel at the Annunciation. But did you know that the word, “hail,” also means “rejoice” in Greek? (Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives, p.26)
“Rejoice, full of grace!”
Two thousand years later, we understand why the Archangel Gabriel told Mary to rejoice. The Son of God was about to enter the world! But imagine being Mary, a humble and faithful young woman preparing to become a wife. Suddenly, God comes to her with a mission that will change everything. A mission that would not only alter her own life, but also the history of the world.
I don’t know about you, but I like to feel in control. I like to see the path before me so I can take note of every step I have to take and when to take it. It freaks me out when I think I have everything planned, and then feel a sudden tug on my heart to do something different – to redirect myself on a new path that God has carved out for me.
“Rejoice,” the angel urges Mary – and you. “God has chosen you for a mission.”
CALLED FOR A MISSION
Mary is asked to hold the Son of God in her womb and bear Him to the world. This Boy will be named Jesus, which means “YHWH saves” – “God saves.” Her Son will be the savior of the world.
God, being all-powerful, didn’t need Mary. He could have sent His Son at any time, in any place, for the salvation of humanity. Moreover, He could’ve accomplished His saving work without sending His Son at all. Nothing is impossible for God.
But what the Annunciation reveals is that God didn’t want to come down and save us because he was embarrassed by our inability to help ourselves. Rather, He wanted to save us and restore us to life because of His great love for us. God desired to come down and share in our humanity to sanctify it.
Understanding and believing in humanity’s inherent value and dignity, He desires to work with, in, and through us to bring His love to the world. The Annunciation shows us that we each have a divinely appointed mission. We might not physically bear the Son of God, but we each are called to bring Jesus to the world in some way.
Just as He did for Mary, God has handcrafted a mission for you.
MAY IT BE DONE
How are we supposed to respond to such great responsibility? Here are some things we can learn from Mary’s example:
- Ask: It’s okay to question – Mary herself was “greatly troubled” (Luke 1:29). She asks the angel how this mission would even be possible. Don’t we often wonder if we’re talented enough, smart enough, experienced enough to take on our callings? It’s okay to have questions – but you don’t have to let them turn into doubts. Mary’s humility is not disbelieving. Rather, she lets the place of impossibility be where God manifests His love and power.
- Reflect: Mary “pondered” what the angel’s message could mean. She reflects, contemplates. She doesn’t just hear Gabriel’s words. She receives them in her heart and goes deeper. She not only takes the Word into her womb, but she also takes the Word into her mind and heart.
- Surrender: I think the most beautiful thing about Mary’s answer to the angel is that it isn’t just “yes.” “Behold,” she says. “I am a handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1: 38). She’s not only saying yes to this mission – she’s saying yes to every mission. Whatever you ask of me, Lord, may it be done.
- Treasure: In another story of Jesus’ life, Mary is said to have “kept all these things in her heart” (Luke 2:51). Her moment of encounter is a gift. Every moment that God speaks to your heart is worth treasuring because here’s the thing: the moment will pass. Just like for Mary at the Annunciation, “the angel departs; her mission remains, and with it matures her inner closeness to God, a closeness that in her heart she is able to see and touch” (Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives, p.38). The initial encounter will pass, but treasuring it in your heart can transform that single moment into ongoing closeness.
HEAVEN AND EARTH ARE WAITING
At the Annunciation, we see the joy of Christmas take root. Two thousand years later, we know that from this moment, everything changes. The Son of God will take on flesh for the life of the world.
In a reflection on this exchange (which you can read here), St. Bernard of Clairvaux describes all of Heaven and earth holding its breath, waiting for Mary’s response. Gabriel’s appearance to Mary is the moment that the Son of God will take on flesh and give His life for the salvation of the world – but, in the mystery of God’s plan, it all hinges on her response. “Let humility be bold,” he urges her.
Mary couldn’t have known all of the things that would come if she bore Jesus. She couldn’t have known what this would mean for the history of the universe. She just knew that God had a mission for her – and she said yes.
God has handcrafted a mission for you to bear His Son to the world. Heaven and earth are waiting for your response. Let humility be bold.
From my heart to yours,
