We are Brethren with God

It is nine months until Christmas! That must mean today is the Feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos by the Archangel Gabriel. The Feast is known in Greek as Ευαγγελισμός της Θεοτόκου, which translates to the Good News of the Theotokos. What Good News, you ask? The Good News that God has chosen to become one of us to save us. That’s right. We share something in common with God, and we’re the only one of His creation that has such a claim to Him.

Cats, dogs, fish, trees, and every other living creature, as we heard about in the past two weeks in our readings from Genesis, are all created by God, but only human beings share in His Image. Only human beings have the breath of life given to us directly from God. Take a moment and read today’s reading from Hebrews below.

BRETHREN, he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, “I will proclaim thy name to my brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee.” And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Here am I, and the children God has given me. Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage. For surely it is not with angels that he is concerned but with the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted. – Hebrews 2.11-18

If we are God’s brethren, then we are also brethren with each other. If we are brothers and sisters, then we have the same mother, and she is the All-Holy Virgin Mary, the New Eve, the one who gave birth to God, for our salvation. This should all affect the way we live as human beings and as Orthodox Christian.

How can we leave others to suffer if they are our brothers and sisters? How can we cheat others, steal from others, slander others, or otherwise ignore them if we are brothers and sisters? God chose to save us and not ignore us because we are His brethren. This is why today is a Feast. This is why we break the fast today. This is why the Greeks chose today to proclaim their freedom from the Ottoman Empire.

Today marks the crowning of our salvation and the revelation of the mystery before all ages. For the Son of God becomes the son of the Virgin, and Gabriel proclaims the grace. Wherefore, we also cry out with him, “Hail, O full of grace, the Lord is with you.” – Hymn of Annunciation