The Power of the Incarnation

Today the Church ‘takes a brief break’ from the strict fast of Great Lent for the Feast of the Annunciation. Today the Church remembers the Good News that God gave humanity through the Archangel Gabriel. Today all humanity receives hope in the power of God’s Incarnation.

Nothing says power like a virgin giving birth. To be clear, Mary knew exactly what was about to happen. According to Holy Tradition, she ‘knew’ Gabriel as she had interacted with the Archangel in the Temple before the Annunciation.

When the Gospel says she was ‘troubled’ it was because she understood what saying ‘yes’ would mean. Thankfully for us, she accepted her role in God’s plan for our salvation. This is such a great day, the Church celebrates, even during Great Lent.

In those days, Elizabeth the wife of Zacharias conceived and for five months she hid herself, saying, “Thus the Lord had done to me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.” In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you! Blessed are you among women!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How shall this be, since I have no husband?” 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 child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Luke 1.24-38

As we enter the second week of our Great Lenten Journey, keep focused on God’s power, not just over the weather, but to become a human being. As we were reminded yesterday for the Sunday of Orthodoxy, it is the power for us to be in communion with the Incarnate Lord.

That is reason enough to celebrate today.