The Annunciation of the Lord
Solemnity
Liturgical Cycle: A, B, C | Lectionary Cycle: I, II
Introduction
Today, we celebrate the solemn feast of the Annunciation. “Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” said the old missal. That was correct, in a way, for the angel came to announce glad tidings to Mary. “Annunciation of the Lord,” says the new missal. Yes, this is the day that the Good News is announced that she will become the Mother of Jesus. It is Jesus who is announced. He will be “God-with-us” (1st reading), who comes to do God’s will by being with us and saving us (2nd reading). It’s Jesus’ day, but it’s also Mary’s day. With the same disposition to serve God and people as Jesus had, she says, “I am fully ready to serve. I am the handmaid of the Lord.” May these be our words too.
Opening Prayer
Our faithful God and Father,
you are indeed our “God-with-us.”
Your Son became one of us, human,
born of the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary.
He came to serve;
she was the humble handmaid.
Make us deeply aware, Lord,
that salvation began with service.
Make us ready to serve in love,
as Mary did, together with Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord forever.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (8a and 9a) Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, “Behold I come.”
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!”
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Your justice I kept not hid within my heart;
your faithfulness and your salvation I have spoken of;
I have made no secret of your kindness and your truth
in the vast assembly.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Alleluia Verse
Glory and Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ
The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us;
and we saw his glory.
Glory and Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ
Gospel
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent
to a virgin who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
The angel came to her and said:
“Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you!”
Mary was confused by these words, wondering what this greeting could mean.
But the angel said:
“Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you.
You will conceive and give birth to a son; and you shall call him Jesus.
He will be great, and he will rightly be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David, his ancestor; he will rule over the people of Jacob forever;
and his reign will have no end.”
Then Mary asked the angel:
“How can this be since I am a virgin?”
And the angel said to her:
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the holy child to be born of you will be called Son of God.
Even your relative, Elizabeth, is expecting a son in her old age, though she was unable to have children, and she is now in her sixth month.
With God, nothing is impossible.”
Then Mary said:
“I am the handmaid of the Lord; may it be done to me as you have said.”
And the angel left her.
Prayers of the Faithful
On this solemnity of the Annunciation, let us pray with Mary for the needs of the Church and of all people.
- That the Church may always accept and carry out its vocation of proclaiming the Word of God faithfully and with zeal, we pray:
- That with the Lord we may reach out with goodness and tender care to the weak and those suffering, we pray:
- That those who have to take important decisions regarding the future of their life may, like Mary, see how they can best serve God and people, we pray:
- That we may all become unaffected and humble enough to let God do great things through us, we pray:
- That all in our Christian communities may be open enough to God’s Sprit to accept any task God asks of us, we pray:
Lord God, hear us as we ask you that with Mary we may seek your will in all we do. Grant this through her Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer Over the Gifts
Lord our God,
Here are bread and wine
as signs of our willingness
to be available to you and to our neighbour.
As Jesus could come among people
because Mary was ready to serve,
so may your Son now be alive among us
because we open our hearts
to you and to those around us,
together with Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord God, our Father,
you have announced also to us today
that your Son came among us
to be our life and joy.
He has been with us
as your living Word and our bread of life.
May we grow in his life
and, like Mary, by his word bring a message
of liberation and happiness
to those in search of life and meaning.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Blessing
“Here I am to do your will,” says Jesus. “Here I am as the handmaid of the Lord,” says Mary. May these be our words too. They are beautiful, but they are not easy. May God be our strength, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
The Angel that Leaves
“And the angel left her.” The moment Mary said “Yes” to God’s will, the angel left her! Wasn’t it the moment a horde of angels should have descended, stood guard for her day and night? After all, she was the Mother of God! But no! The angel simply left, never more to return during her earthly life. There would be no angel to help her explain the mysterious pregnancy to her family; no angel to find her a home in Bethlehem. No angel would protect her divine child miraculously from the sword of Herod, nor make her travel to Egypt easy. When the child of the promise was lost in the Temple, there was no angel whispering his whereabouts to her; nor when she had to stand beneath the cross with a sword piercing her heart, again. Mary had to walk her “yes” in the utter darkness of faith, and she did! How about me? How would I react when I see the angel leaving?
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Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
Luke 1:26-38
FIAT
Two years ago, on this day of the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, Pope Francis consecrated Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, imploring peace for the suffering people. Let us continue to pray for peace in these war-torn nations.
The Gospel of Luke presents the encounter between the Angel Gabriel and Mary, highlighting God's loving plan for humanity. Though Luke was not an eyewitness, he conveys Mary's unique role as the Beloved of God, chosen to bear the Saviour. In Nazareth, she was simply known as Mary, but in Heaven, she was the favoured one, chosen to bring God's plan to fulfilment.
Mary's self-identification as the Handmaid of the Lord holds deep significance. This title, reserved in the Old Testament for great figures like Moses, David, and the prophets, speaks of the unwavering fidelity to God's will. Though it was never before attributed to a woman, the early Christian community recognised that no one embodied this title more perfectly than Mary. Her humble yet dignified acceptance echoes her complete trust in God's plan.
Her response, "Let it be done to me as you have said" (v. 38b), expresses not mere resignation but joyful willingness. Eager to see God's plan realised, Mary sets aside her personal dreams, placing her life entirely in God's hands.
Wherever God enters, joy follows. The Annunciation begins with the angel's invitation to ‘rejoice’ and culminates in Mary's joyful surrender. God longs to dwell among us and desires our happiness. Mary’s example is the perfect model of faith and obedience.
As we journey through Lent, may Mary's fiat inspire us to surrender to God's will with joy and trust. Let us open our hearts to His plan, knowing that His presence always brings peace and fulfilment.