The Annunciation of the Lord was faintly heard even at the dawn of creation when God announced the coming of a new order through the woman, which would crush Satan. “I shall put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; it will bruise your head and you will strike its heel” (Gen 3:15). The development of the Annunciation of the Lord followed henceforth throughout the history of Israel. In God’s covenant with Noah, the universal Covenant was pre-figured. When He announced His covenant with Abraham and his descendants, hope the Annunciation of the Lord was sown in the patriarchal lineage. Moses was a prominent figure whose life, and the role he played, left more to be desired for the coming generations. He became a pointer to the Holy One who mediates for His people before the Father. He was the leader, in whom was hoped for the Messiah who would lead the people to freedom in the eternal promised land. Moses, the law-giver, longed for the perfect covenant that would not be broken. “If you really believed Moses, you would believe me too, since it was about me that he was writing” (Jn 5:46).
In David, the Annunciation of the Lord began to grow as a royal dynasty that would last forever. Yes, we longed to see the everlasting sovereign dynasty for all peoples. In the prophets and the priesthood, the Annunciation of the Lord was awaited in their call for justice and righteousness; the Holy One to come, the vindicator and the Lord the righteous judge was longed for, and the great Sign of salvation was expected. Isaiah told Ahaz, “Ask a sign of the Lord your God...Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Is 7:10-14). Hope in the Annunciation of the Lord came very close in Zechariah, Elizabeth and John the Baptist!
However, in the Blessed Virgin Mary the Annunciation of the Lord was no more a hope suspended in the unknown future; the Annunciation of the Lord became a reality! How glorious is Gabriel the harbinger of good news; how beautiful is Mary the receiver of good news. The moment she offered her great YES to the will of God, the Annunciation of the Lord breaks in from an unknown future into the reality of humanity. No more shall humanity hope in vain; no more shall we go without hope! (cf. Rm 5:5). How happy is the Blessed Virgin Mary who was given the most exalted honour of receiving God in such an extraordinary way. Let us echo her ‘yes’ to the will of God in our lives that the grace of the Annunciation, which Mary has in full, shall be poured into our hearts. Amen.
Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
March 25th, 2021.
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord.
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