# The Annunciation of the Lord
*2022-03-24*

> Bill reflects on the Annunciation reading from Luke, urging listeners to see ordinary moments as messages from God and to respond like Mary.

## The Reading

Our Gospel reading comes from Luke 1:26: “The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee.” We hear this in the context of the Lenten meditation guide, which reminds us that the whole activity is God’s. Mary did nothing to earn this visitation; her “immaculate exception” is a gift of grace preparing her for this day.

## Our Expectation of Angels

Often in our prayer lives we search for angels, hoping that if we pray long enough God will speak to us in an extraordinary, tangible way. We look for dramatic experiences of God’s presence, believing that enough prayer will guarantee a direct contact.

## What the Annunciation Actually Teaches

The Annunciation tells a different story. The activity is entirely God’s. Any way we make ourselves available to God is a good way. As Augustine says, the very fact that we are searching for God proves that we have already found Him. The angels, the insights we receive in prayer—these are all God’s work. We must be willing, like Mary, to hand over control of our prayers to God and say “yes” to whatever He has in store.

## A Practical Exercise

Today, greet each event that happens to you as if it were an angel delivering a message. Ask yourself what you can learn{[unclear]} about God from the ordinary moments of your life. God most often speaks in the everyday.

## Prayer of the Day

God of the ordinary, open my eyes to the angels in my life today. Amen.

*God’s greatest revelations often come through the ordinary, if we are willing to say “yes” like Mary.*