Sunday, April 7, 2013

The Annunciation of the Lord, Monday, 08-04-13

Isaiah 7:10-14, 8:10 / Hebrews 10:4-10 / Luke 1:26-38

It is often said that Easter is the greatest feast of the Church, and for our faith as well.

In rising from the dead, Jesus conquered sin and death and revealed His divine identity - that He is the Son of God, and that He is Lord of the living and the dead.

Yes, Jesus is fully divine. Yet He is also fully human. Indeed, that is a mystery that needs to be often meditated upon.

Today's feast of the Annunciation of the Lord helps us to understand deeper the humanity of Jesus.

The angel Gabriel announced to Mary the good news of salvation and that the Son of God would be conceived in her by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Indeed, God becoming man and taking on human flesh in the womb of a woman is not that easy to comprehend.

Yet in His human nature, Jesus showed that God is with us, God is one of us, and that the offering of Himself on the cross has become the one perfect sacrifice that took away the sins of the world and saved us.

Hence, in as much as Easter reveals the divinity of Jesus, the Annunciation reveals the humanity of Jesus as well as the dignity of human nature.

In our human nature, whatever sacrifices we make for the Lord is united in Jesus who will offer it to the Father as sacrifice for the salvation of the world.

Just as Mary offered herself for God's plan of salvation, may we also follow her in offering ourselves as servants of the Lord for the salvation of the world.