Pastor s Column: Announcements! Announcements!
By JOHN BAIZE
Holy Transfiguration Orthodox
Christmas is months away. Some of us may still be paying off the purchases we made last Christmas season. While we hear that the spirit of Christmas should be year-round, most of us are not thinking much about it in March. Though some stores pitch "Christmas in July" sales and some craft people are thinking about Christmas already, most of us are not concerned with Christmas yet. But when does Christmas really begin? It actually begins nine months prior, with the announcement of Christ's birth.
Did you know that since the very beginning the Church has celebrated the event of the angel Gabriel's visit to Mary announcing her role in a miraculous conception? The church begins to celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ (Nativity or Christmas), on March 25 nine months earlier. Throughout the world on this date, the Church proclaims that the Son of God is coming, will be born of a virgin, and be called the Son of man. It celebrates this key event with special services and a feast. It is one of the five feast days set aside to honor Mary and her role in God's work of salvation. For nine months, He who could not be contained (God in Christ) and is now contained in the womb of Mary and will come forth to be wrapped in swaddling clothes.
The words of one of the songs sung by the faithful on this day consist of Archangel Gabriel's thoughts as he greets Mary. This is one of many songs sung by the Church about the coming of the son of God. It is amazing to see that the angels were in awe as they realized the One whom they had been worshipping was not going to be with them in the heavenly places.
"With mystic apprehension of the divine commandment the Bodiless Angel quickly appeared in the house of Joseph and said to the unwed-Virgin. Lo, He who in his descent did bow the heavens, is housed unchanged and whole in thee; as I behold Him in thy womb taking on the form of a servant, I marvel and cry unto thee — Hail, O Bride without Bridegroom."
When we take time to truly look at the whole story of the Annunciation, we begin to see that all creation had been waiting for this event. Throughout the story of mankind, God the Father revealed what he was about to do. He wanted us to know that the proclamation of the coming One was not to be ignored.
The Church Fathers point to several examples such as the burning bush that was not consumed by fire. Another is Jacob's ladder to heaven with the angels ascending and descending between heaven and earth. Still another is the jar of manna that did not spoil. These are types that look forward to God's incarnation through Mary.
The Archangel Gabriel had been in the very presence of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. He had been sent on other missions to deliver the word of the Father, but this was the most important. He was sent to deliver the message to a young maiden, saying this was not just any young maiden. Mary had been brought to the Temple of God at an early age and grew up in the house of the Lord. She was trained in the Truth of God and worship. Her upbringing prepared her for the message she would receive and her special role in Christ's coming.
Still there was the question: Would she accept the greeting from the Captain of the Heavenly Host? Would she refuse to be the one whom God had chosen to be called blessed among women and full of grace?
Like many of us, Mary had questions. How was this possible? She knew the prophesies concerning God's Messiah. Her fathers had patiently looked for His coming for generations. Her training had taught her obedience to her priests and temple teachers. How could she not submit to the will of the Lord she had be taught to serve?
But still she wondered: "How could this happen"? How could the Creator become the child of His creation? How could He, Who could not be contained, be contained in her womb? How could He who is more spacious than the heavens and rides on the cherubim become a man? How could she who knew no pleasure and had not known a man give birth to a son?
The Angel Chieftain responded that, with the Lord, nothing is impossible. God is able to transcend the natural course of things. He told her that this was her calling in God. This was enough for Mary and she acquiesced to God's will for her life. Thus Mary found grace with God. By her response, because Christ is God, she became the human mother of our God.
What does this mean for us as Christians? First of all, Mary is a prototype of what it means to be a Christian. She was the first "believer." She is an image of the fundamental obedience which is the first step of faith.
Secondly, just as the Person of Christ was formed in her, so it is the calling of each Christian that Christ be formed in us. Christianity is the transformation of the human person into Christ. This is the essential meaning of the word "Christian."
So as we experience Annunciation, the event which makes Christmas possible and thus Easter and the hope of salvation for the world, may we give special thanks for Mary and her obedient sacrifice.
Announcement! Announcement! Announcement! Gabriel came to the virgin who was full of grace, to be filled by the Spirit, and bring forth the Son of God to save His people from their sins! Alleluia!
