The Feast of Annunciation//Fr Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

 

WONDERING GURU   

Angel Gabriel announced the Good News to Mary. Before Mary said Yes, Gabriel made lovely promises to her (Lk 1:26ff). Have you ever wondered what happened to those promises? Let’s count Mary’s blessings/ promises one by one and check if they were fulfilled by God.

 1) “Greetings, you who are highly favored!” (Lk 1:28). Angel said that she was highly favoured by God.  Favoured means she was under God’s special attention and protection. From human perspective since she was an apple of God’s eye her life should have been full of worldly amenities and luxuries. Mary never received a big house, big car, big position or big money.  Being highly favoured all she got was gossip, pain, loneliness, suffering and a brutal death of her son. When we want God to bless us, when we want to be the apple of His eye what are we looking for? Do we understand the favour of God?

2) “Do not be afraid, Mary (Lk 1:30).  Angel Gabriel told Mary not to be afraid. What happened to this promise?  Mary was afraid all along.  The annunciation instilled fear in her heart.  Fear of Joseph leaving her; Fear of society due to pre-marital pregnancy; Fear of delivering in a manger; Fear of running to Egypt with the new born baby; Fear of life after Joseph passed away; Fear of being alone when her son started His public ministry; Fear of the religious leaders planning to murder her son and finally fear of the Crucifixion. Like Mary don’t we experience fear even when we are under God’s favour? Inspite of fear Mary decides to stick on to God.  That is courage.  That is the victory.  That’s what Jesus did on Calvary.  He stuck on to His father inspite of extreme fear and untold pain.

3) He will be great. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David (Lk 1:32). Mary was told her son will be great.  He will sit on David’s throne.  Where were these promises when her son was given the Cross instead of the throne? How can her son be called great when He is crucified as a criminal among other criminals? Did Mary really understand all these promises? Do we really understand the promises of God when we are faced with our crosses big or small? Human desire is to be great. We want that throne or the crown (but not Corona) or the gold medal. But that is taking the road of success which is interspersed with anxiety, pain, sleepless nights and the destruction of mother earth.  To become great we need to take the road of purpose.  Success comes from ambition from human perspective.  Purpose comes from God from divine perspective. Success driven life is selfish.  Purpose driven life is inclusive. It embraces and respects all life on earth. Jesus was not successful but purposeful.

4) He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end” (Lk 1:33). Gabriel told Mary that His kingdom will never end.  But on Calvary she saw her son dying.  This is the end of His ministry. He is nailed to the cross.  He cannot do anything now.  How will he reign over Jacob’s descendants?  Jacob’s descendants only killed her son.  From human perspective when we experience some tragedies such as sickness or death we are shattered.  Our faith and confidence doomed.  But Jesus has told us “unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. (Jn 12:24) Because Jesus died on the cross today He is sitting on the heavenly throne and ruling us.  His throne and His kingdom will never end.

From human perspective Mary’s and her son’s life were a disaster. From human point of view the promises of annunciation were a huge joke. But from divine perspective life and death are a small part in His great royal plan.  For God death is not the end of the story. That’s what the apostles failed to see on Calvary.  They thought the master died so it was all over.  But the second thief realized that something more is to come after death.  Our Resurrection makes more sense than our life and death.  Mary might have realized this after the resurrection of her son. Before we really experience the blessings, promises and favour of God we have to go through crisis, through fire and pain.  God never lies.  He is always faithful to his promises. The prophet told us “my word from my mouth will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire” (Is 55:11). Today Mary is queen of heaven and earth.  Her Son reigns forever.  

My dear fellow Christians interpret your life from divine perspective. You too are favoured by God. In your Annunciation there will be Good Fridays.  In times of fear, anxiety and pain do what Mary did.  Stick on to God and be faithful to Him.  Happy feast of Annunciation!