Father Kirk's Daily Lenten Reflection
Friday of the 3rd Week of Lent: March 25, 2022
The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
Today the church pauses a bit to observe the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. We prayerfully remember the events of that day so long ago when the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a young virgin named Mary to announce to her that she had been chosen to be the mother of Jesus with these words which were bewildering to her: “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.”
Even though Mary assuredly was alone and afraid and confused since, as she told Gabriel, “I have no relations with a man,” she nonetheless accepted God’s will with courage and trust saying, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”
We are called to imitate Mary’s faith and courage and trust in God. We are called to embrace God’s will and say “yes.” Let us pray in the words of the psalmist: “Here I am Lord I have come to do your will.