March 25, 2026
Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord
Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord. The Gospel at Mass is taken from the dialogue between the Angel and the Blessed Virgin Mary, as recounted by Saint Luke.

First, Saint Luke tells us that the one who spoke with the Blessed Virgin Mary was the Angel Gabriel (cf. Lk 1:26). What kind of angel is he? The angel himself tells us: “I am Gabriel, who stand before God” (cf. Lk 1:19A). Pope Saint Gregory the Great teaches us that the word “angel” refers to an office, not to a nature. Those heavenly, divine spiritual beings, though always spiritual, are only called angels when they are transmitting a message. Furthermore, those who transmit lesser messages are called angels, while those who announce the most important messages are called archangels. Therefore, the one sent to Mary was not merely an angel, but the Archangel Gabriel. Only an archangel could fittingly proclaim the greatest of messages.

What can we see in the dialogue between the Angel and the Blessed Virgin Mary as recounted by Saint Luke?
First: The angel said to her, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you!” (cf. Lk 1:28). This highlights Mary’s extraordinary dignity and foreshadows how her mission is intertwined with that of our Lord Jesus Christ. Mary is the New Eve. The first Eve, through the temptation of the devil, led the first Adam to transgress God’s commandment and eat of the forbidden fruit. Similarly, the second Eve accompanied the second Adam—our Lord Jesus Christ—who, on the Cross, made reparation for the original sin committed by the first Adam and all his descendants, reconciling humanity and all creation wounded by human sin with God.

Second: The angel said to Mary, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (cf. Lk 1:29-33). Such expressions are perfectly confirmed by the words of Jesus Himself in the dialogue with the Jews during Lent, as recorded by Saint John. Jesus continually revealed His relationship with the Father and continued to fulfill the mission entrusted to Him by the Father.

Third: Instead of feeling proud at the prospect of becoming the Mother of God, Mary, with humble submission to God’s holy will, replied with joy: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her (cf. Lk 1:38). With this response, the work of God’s redemption thus began in human history.

Dearly beloved brothers and sisters: God also calls us; He calls us to walk with Him. Let us imitate the Blessed Virgin Mary, to always walk with Him at all times and in all places, whatever our circumstances may be, and to be pilgrims of hope, bringing hope to others and to the world. Now, let us together offer our prayer to God:

O God, who willed that your Word
should take on the reality of human flesh
in the womb of the Virgin Mary,
grant, we pray,
that we, who confess our Redeemer to be God and man,
may merit to become partakers even in his divine nature.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

©Totus Tuus 2026
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica