25 March, Tuesday, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

Readings — Is. 7:10-14; 8:10; Ps. 40:7-8, 8-9, 10, 11; Heb. 10:4-10; Lk. 1:26-38.

Some Notes on the Annunciation of the Lord

1. On 19 March, the Feast of St. Joseph, Spouse of Mary, in the Gospel of Matthew, the angel Gabriel announced the birth of Jesus to Joseph in a dream. Today, in the Gospel of Luke, the angel Gabriel announces the birth of Jesus to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the Qur'an, the Annunciation is described in Surah Maryam, vv. 19:16-26. The Annunciation took place at Nazareth in the home of Mary, marked today by the Basilica of the Annunciation.

2. When the calendar system of Anno Domini was first introduced in AD 525, 25 March was assigned as the beginning of the new year, since the era of grace began with the Incarnation of the Lord at the time of the Annunciation, nine months before the birth of the Lord. This is why the Annunciation is not only a Marian Solemnity but first and foremost a Christological one.

3. 1st Reading, Is. 7:10-14; 8:10) — During the Syria-Ephraimite war of 735-732 BC, the combined forces of Syria and its ally, Ephraim (the southern kingdom of Israel), threatened to attack Jerusalem. The Lord asked King Ahaz of Judah for a sign but Ahaz did not want to tempt the Lord (vv. 7-12).

So the Lord himself gave a sign: "the young woman, pregnant and about to bear a son, shall name him Emmanuel" (v. 14). Judah and its Davific king should trust God's promises and not fear the armies of Israel and Syria. This prophecy underlies Mt. 1:23. Emmanuel means "God is with us." The Incarnation is the ultimate expression of God's willingness to "be with us."

4. Resp. Ps. 49:7-8, 8-9, 10, 11 — Trust in God, Not in Riches. Those who trust in their riches are deluded. God does not accept money for the redemption of one's soul. These fools will die and leave their riches with others (vv. 7-11).

5. 2nd Reading, Heb. 10:4-10 — "It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats can take away sins" (v. 4). For this reason, Jesus came and said, "Behold, I come to do your will, O God." He took away the Old Law of offering, and established a new offering. By his will, "we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all" (vv. 8- 10).