THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD

Readings: Isaiah 7:10-14, 8:10; Hebrews 10:4-10; Luke 1:26-38

Today we celebrate the Son of God made man. No, it isn’t Christmas already. We still have nine months to go for that. Today is the day we celebrate the angel Gabriel announcing to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she was to be the mother of God’s Son. This is the day the Holy Spirit descended on Mary and Jesus was conceived within her womb. I wonder if she lived any differently after she became pregnant than before. Women certainly do nowa-days, or at least they are advised to.

No smoking, no drinking, no unprescribed drugs. All these could be hazardous to the health of the unborn child. Eat this, don’t eat that, exercise but don’t overdo it, maybe a Lamaze class or whatever could contribute to the good of both mother and child. Once a woman is made aware that she is pregnant, her lifestyle becomes altered. Her thoughts focus on the welfare of her unborn child, her actions are decided by what is best for it. She keeps herself physically healthy and untainted for the sake of the new life within her. Should we not all keep ourselves spiritually healthy and untainted for the sake of the new life within us?

Jesus lives in all of us. His life must be nourished, it must grow, it must develop. We are to avoid everything that would be dangerous to the health of the Christ child within our souls, we are to do whatever is best for him and us. That means we must avoid all persons, places, and things that could be detrimental to the life of Christ within us. We must avoid sin in all its forms. Wise and loving mothers—to—be are careful to do only what is good for the new life within them. Aren’t we, who are pregnant with Christ, expected to do the same?.