On the Annunciation

(Luke 1:24-38) (The Annunciation of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos)

In the canon for the Feast of the Annunciation, which is read during the Matins service, there is an interesting dialog that takes place, based upon the Gospel account read today. The archangel Gabriel appears to the Theotokos, and salutes her; and she questions him about the report he has just given her, asking, how can this be, since I have not known a man? There is another element to the dialog that isn’t as familiar as the main theme of the Annunciation; but it is instructive for us, and so worth noting. It is this: As her conversation with the angel proceeds, she, more than once, questions the angel, not so much in disbelief about what has been said, but being very careful not to be deceived by this mysterious visitor, as the serpent had deceived our first-Mother, Eve. She takes care to try to be certain that what is taking place is, indeed, from God, and not some trick of the devil.

In this, the Theotokos provides us with another excellent example of who we are to be, and how we are to live. There is no doubt in my mind that every Christian would do well to cultivate, both by mental decision, and by beseeching God to make it so, the response that our blessed Lady Theotokos made to the archangel’s announcement: Behold, I am the hand-maiden of the Lord. If each of us were to strive to make this our own response; to say, “I am the servant of the Lord” – and do everything in our power to actually live as such, we would be transformed; our families would be transformed; the Church would be transformed; and the world would be transformed. A good servant does not seek anything apart from what pleases his or her master; and desire to do only that which is pleasing to the master. As the servants of God, we would not seek glory for ourselves, but to give glory to God; and we would do all we could to live without sin, as our sins separate us from our Master. When we live according to the virtues – when we live according to the life of Christ given to us in our baptism, empowered by our chrismation, and fed and strengthened and enlightened by the Holy Mysteries of our Lord’s Body and Blood, we do what is pleasing to God. It is our hope to hear, when our time in this world is completed, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter thou into the joy of the Lord.”

We would also do well to take to heart the caution displayed by our Lady Theotokos. We need to be on guard against being deceived; and, above all, by our own hearts, and by our own flesh. It is all too easy for us to convince ourselves that the thing that we want is essential to our happiness, or even to our survival. Most of us have done this enough times to know that it isn’t true – but that doesn’t stop the temptations, the feelings, the desires. It is all too easy for us to convince ourselves that what we did wasn’t really a “sin” – we can find lots of reasons why we “should” have done what we did; or, we think we can explain it in such a way that God will overlook it, and let us off the hook. To be sure, the enemy of our salvation is right there as well, trying to lead us into that way of thinking and feeling and acting. But if guarded the thoughts and desires of our hearts more closely, we’d be much harder to deceive.

Brothers and sisters! We celebrate today she who, by the surrender of herself – a total surrender, of body, mind and spirit – to the will of God made it possible for Christ to enter the world for our salvation. Let us seek God’s grace to join her in His service, becoming faithful servants devoted to our Lord with the fullness of our being. Let us question every thought, feeling, word, or desire that is not uttered as a servant of God; and let us join our blessed Lady Theotokos as well in bearing Christ into the world: for the glory of God, and the salvation of our souls.