Advent II: December 20th
Gospel: Luke 1:26-38
Annunciation of the Virgin Mary

We rarely see the names of angels in the Bible. Pope St. Gregory the Great taught us that the term “angel” refers to a function, not a nature. Those divine spiritual beings in heaven, although often spiritual, are only referred to as angels when they convey certain messages. Furthermore, those who convey secondary messages are called angels, while those who proclaim the most important messages are called archangels. Therefore, the one sent to Mary was not just an angel, but the Archangel Gabriel. Only an archangel is worthy to go to earth to proclaim the greatest message.

Today, when St. Gabriel came to announce the good news to the Virgin Mary, besides praising her, he also said that the Lord was with Mary. This indicates that Mary’s mission is intertwined with the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Virgin Mary is the Eve in the New Testament. The first Eve, tempted by the devil, prompted the first Adam to disobey God’s commandment and eat the fruit of the tree. Similarly, the second Eve accompanied the second Adam, our Lord Jesus Christ, who atoned for the original sin committed by the first Adam and all his descendants on the cross, thus reconciling mankind and all creatures wounded by the sins of mankind with God. He did not waste any time, announcing God’s plan of salvation to the Virgin Mary. He revealed to her a deeper mystery: the son conceived by Mary was not the child born of her union with a man, but the gift of the Holy Spirit of God. The child born of Mary was not the son of Joseph, but the Son of God. For He was not born of human desire or flesh, but by the grace of the angels. He showed her that Elizabeth, who in the eyes of the world could never conceive, would become pregnant and give birth to the son of Mary, the forerunner of the Son of God, through God’s powerful intervention.

Although Mary expressed doubts about the angel’s words, she still obeyed. With her precious consent, the Savior’s redemptive work was able to unfold in history, enabling us to become new creatures in Christ.

Today, let us imitate the Blessed Virgin Mary, who generously submits to God’s holy will, and embark on this journey of hope together with her.

Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us. Amen.

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