The Annunciation of the Lord

On March 25th, we celebrate the day the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to tell her that she would birth a son — Jesus. 

When Gabriel first appeared, the angel greeted Mary by saying, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28). Does that sound familiar to you? Even though we are quite familiar with those words, they troubled Mary and left her a bit confused. The angel Gabriel continued by telling Mary not to be afraid and giving her the great news that she would have a son. Mary responded, “I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). 

Scripture tells us again and again that Mary was confused and unsure on the day of the Annunciation, yet we celebrate this great day years later because of her simple yet profound response. This response, Mary’s “fiat,” is done in humility but with great confidence in God and His power. Our God is a God of possibilities. Though we may not always understand God’s ways and we may feel more like Mary — confused and unsure — in many situations, I pray we are able to emulate Mary’s fiat every day. A life full of small yeses in our everyday life is sure to lead to the ability to say yes to God when we are confused and unsure. 

Read Luke 1:26-38 to your child(ren). Have them close their eyes and read it slowly so they are able to imagine the story as you are telling it. Talk to them about how Mary, though confused, said “yes” to God and encourage them to live lives that say “yes” to God. Then, use this printable to help them create their own picture of the Annunciation. 

Are there any areas in your life where you need to let go of your will and let things be done according to His will?