Mary is the magnified name given to the virgin who renounced everything to pronounce Amen to the annunciation of the Lord to the mankind.
Our ears are always eager to listen to the announcements of good news. Let us voyage through the sea of annunciation to pick up the pearls of good news hidden in it.
- Annunciation is always announced by God. “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God”(Luke 1: 26-27). Though in the eyes of mankind, God’s annunciation may seem to be pronunciations of pain, His annunciations turn to be pronunciations of prosperity in the course of time. The annunciation undertaken by Mary seems to be disgraceful – pregnant before the marriage. In the long run, it turned to be pronunciation of prosperity – she was crowned as the queen of Heaven by Her son. Why are we not able to see good news in ordinary news? Is it because of the short sight of faith in us that we are not able to see the long sight of God’s goodness in the annunciations? Was it not because of the short sight of faith in Sarah that made her to laugh when God’s messenger made the annunciation of pregnancy? (Genesis 18:12). Ordinary news will become good news if it is the announcement of God.
- God is “Emmanuel”(God is with us) for those who receive annunciation. God became “Emmanuel” for Mary who readily accepted God’s annunciation. Listen to the words of God’s messenger “And he came to her and said, Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.”(Luke 1:28). God made an annunciation to Moses that you will save the people of Israel. ” The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel day and night”( Exodus 13:21). God was with Mary day and night from the day of reception of annunciation till the day of crowning in heaven.
- Labour pain is an inevitable requirement for the birth of annunciation. Mary had to travel day and night on an ass while she was pregnant. She had to lay in a manger to give birth to the Mass Hero of Mankind. God gave an annunciation to Abraham – “You will be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2). The same Abraham, who received annunciation, bears labour pain in the operation theatre of Moriah where he was asked to sacrifice his only son. Without the labour pain of difficulties, the children of happiness won’t be born. Gold glitters as it is purified in the fire. The glittering of annunciation is formed in the fire of difficulties undertaken by the one who receives it.
- Man’s cooperation to the annunciation is necessary for the completion of annunciations. The annunciation took flesh in Mary’s life because she cooperated with God’s annunciation by saying amen. See the response of Mary to the annunciation “Then Mary said here am I, the servant of the Lord; Let it be with me according to your word (Luke 1:38). Judas didn’t cooperate with God’s annunciation to be a fisherman of man so annunciation did not work. By cooperating with God, let us turn annunciations to be pronunciations of happiness.
Mary who received the annunciation was blessed with “Emmanuel”. Let Mary be a model who inspires us to receive annunciations and to sustain ourselves till annunciations become pronunciations of happiness.
FR. JOSEPH KOCHUPURAYIL CST