Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord year A
Theme: Trust in God
Today the church celebrates the solemnity of the Annunciation. Happy feast day to you all. This celebration should always strengthen our faith and trust in God. In both the 1st reading and the gospel, we see two people exercising their faith in different ways. In the 1st reading, we see how Ahaz failed in trusting God and his directions and preferred to align with human strength instead. Forgetting that in every situation in our life, it is God that has the final say. In the gospel reading we see the depth of Mary’s trust in God, even though the whole situation was not completely clear to her at the Annunciation. This type of trust that is exhibited by our Mother Mary is worthy of emulation, in our dealings with God. Knowing fully well that God will never lead us astray.
In the gospel reading of today, we see total trust in the action of the Blessed Virgin Mary, she accepted the message of the angel and was disposed for the will of God to happen to her. In the case of Ahaz in the 1st reading of today, it was the opposite. Instead of trusting in God to defend him and his people, he was more comfortable with aligning with humans, who are seen as powerful, to protect him and his people. Forgetting that it is God that gives victory ultimately and not just the human might or strength alone. The fact that God is on our side in any battle that we embark on in life, is already a sure sign for victory. Let us learn to always trust in God like our Mother Mary, even when what awaits us in the future is not very clear to us.
Dearly beloved in Christ, a very important question today is, have there been moments in your life when you trusted more in human beings than God, like Ahaz did? Today’s liturgy is encouraging us to desist from such actions, lest the glory that should be given to God is given to humans. It is important that we note that if God does not approve of our success or victory in any given situation, it will never happen. In view of this, our trust in God should be always absolute. However, I am not saying that we leave everything to God, including the things we can do for ourselves, I am rather saying that after all is done our hope for success should rest in God.
It is our prayer today that God will grant us the grace to always have absolute faith and trust in God. May the Lord bless his words in our hearts, in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit. Amen. Peace be with you.