Annunciation of the Lord Year A 2023

Title

God Calls for Trust Not Explanation

Outline

“Just the facts” or “reasons” is a modern mantra

We want the facts about where COVID came from (or in some cases, imagined facts); we want the reasons for why we should or should not do this or that. In each case there is the assumption that the human mind can comprehend reality - whether or not we are truly rational - and that if we cannot comprehend it is not real.

The Annunciation is God’s answer to that - God is not man, God is beyond man, and man is not God

Ahaz wants evidence not trust

Isaiah has taken his son “A Remnant Shall Return” to meet Ahaz and has told him the Syro-Israelite coalition forces would not succeed.

Then, when Ahaz will not ask for a sign, he gives a sign: “Behold the pregnant young woman, and she is giving birth to a son, and she calls his name Emmanuel” - that is “God is with us.” Before the baby is weaned there will be food from the country outside the walls available. Now Isaiah does not tell Ahaz who the woman is, how far along she is in her pregnancy, and why she and not the father name him. But she has insight, realizes what God is doing, and will experience the reward of that insight. In other words, this is a call to trust God as the woman will do.

There is, of course, a deeper level that neither Isaiah nor Ahaz could know, namely the translation of ‘almah as parthenos so it is clearly a virgin that has a child who is never said to eat well about age 3, but who is indeed God with us. I am sure Isaiah would not have understood this, but I suspect he would have trusted God and accepted it.

And this child, grown up, delivers Israel from her enemies.

Hebrews adds the a second step to this narrative

“we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

It is mind-blowing enough that God is with us by means of a virgin-born baby. The God who is beyond creation, the ground of its being, incarnate there in a weak human baby?

But now we learn that his human body will be a sacrifice, a sacrifice greater than all other sacrifices in that he thereby consecrates all who trust in him “once for all.” Now, our culture does not like sacrifices (except perhaps those on the battlefield, which are fewer than we think), and God’s using his body as a sacrifice is mind-wrenching.

He says, Trust me.

And trust is what Mary does

She is going about her life in a normal way for a pious Jewish peasant woman. She is poor and is now engaged to a poor laborer. We know nothing about her home life nor even if her parents were alive, but likely she was inside tending to household duties.

Then Gabriel shows up in some form and says, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” Mary is troubled, perhaps because angles usually shock us, perhaps because a man-like being is in the house with her, perhaps because she cannot think how she is specially favored or in what way the Lord is with her.

Then Gabriel says, “Do not be afraid” and goes on to describe a coming pregnancy and birth that will result in a son whom “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.” Now Joseph was a Davidite and Mary may have known that, but he was very insignificant, to say the least. How would any child of theirs be called “The Son of the Most High?” Besides, they were not living together yet and Gabriel said nothing about Joseph.

Gabriel responds to her questions with, “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.” Now we still do not know how this worked and certainly Mary could not guess. That Elizabeth was pregnant was a sign and a wonder, but how she became pregnant was quite normal.

Yet, however mind-blowing it was, Mary simply responds, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Now that is trust.

And that is the lesson for us

There are plenty of things we do not understand about God’s actions, his being, or how he actually interacts with the world.

They are all mysteries as the incarnation is a mystery.

We may not even understand why God called us to our vocation or to some assignment or action and that is not as incomprehensible as Mary’s.

But Mary stands or sits there, not fully comprehending (although she did ruminate on these words for years), but simply saying, “Yes, let it be. I am here in God’s service.”

And that is the lesson for us

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 3-25-2023: Annunciation of the Lord

FIRST READING

Isaiah 7:10–14, 8:10

10 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz: 11 Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as Sheol, or high as the sky! 12 But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!” 13 Then he said: Listen, house of David! Is it not enough that you weary human beings? Must you also weary my God? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign; the young woman, pregnant and about to bear a son, shall name him Emmanuel.

10 Form a plan, it shall be thwarted;

make a resolve, it shall not be carried out,

for “With us is God!”

Catholic Daily Readings 3-25-2023: Annunciation of the Lord

RESPONSE

Psalm 40:8a, 9a

8 so I said, “See; I come

with an inscribed scroll written upon me.

9 I delight to do your will, my God;

your law is in my inner being!”

PSALM

Psalm 40:7–11

7 Sacrifice and offering you do not want;

you opened my ears.

Holocaust and sin-offering you do not request;

8 so I said, “See; I come

with an inscribed scroll written upon me.

9 I delight to do your will, my God;

your law is in my inner being!”

10 When I sing of your righteousness

in a great assembly,

See, I do not restrain my lips;

as you, LORD, know.

11 I do not conceal your righteousness

within my heart;

I speak of your loyalty and your salvation.

I do not hide your mercy or faithfulness from a great assembly.

Catholic Daily Readings 3-25-2023: Annunciation of the Lord

SECOND READING

Hebrews 10:4–10

4 for it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sins. 5 For this reason, when he came into the world, he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

but a body you prepared for me;

6 holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight in.

7 Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll,

Behold, I come to do your will, O God.’ ”

8 First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in.” These are offered according to the law. 9 Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. 10 By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Catholic Daily Readings 3-25-2023: Annunciation of the Lord

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

John 1:14ab

14 And the Word became flesh

and made his dwelling among us,

and we saw his glory,

the glory as of the Father’s only Son,

full of grace and truth.

GOSPEL

Luke 1:26–38

26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. 32 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, 33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” 35 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. 36 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; 37 for nothing will be impossible for God.” 38 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.

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 3-25-2023: Annunciation of the Lord

SATURDAY, MARCH 25, 2023 | SOLEMNITY

ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD

YEARS ABC | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Isaiah 7:10–14, 8:10

Response Psalm 40:8a, 9a

Psalm Psalm 40:7–11

Second Reading Hebrews 10:4–10

Gospel Acclamation John 1:14ab

Gospel Luke 1:26–38

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