Last Sunday we celebrated the Feast of the Annunciation. It is always weird when a major feast falls during Great Lent as I feel it does not get the attention it really deserves however because it fell on a Sunday this year it was celebrated.
I think I have always liked this feast and what it represents. A young girl is visited by an Angel and asked, notice in the story she is asked not told what God wants of her, she is asked to take on this role and after only one question Mary consents with the words, “Be it done to me according to your will.”
That’s the big part of this feast, obedience to what God wants from us. The entirety of the Christian life is working towards unlocking our inner potential. Our prayer life will help us to unlock this potential and set us on the road. Mary’s potential was that she becomes the Theotokos (the God bearer) and that was what she was raised for, that was her role in life.
Now, I am not saying that we have to consent to be the Mother of God but the question is if God was to ask that of you would you be willing to do it. Obedience is a word that has really fallen out of use in our language. Oh sure we take our dogs to obedience school and what not but are we truly obedient? Are we obedient to what the Church asks of us or do we think it is all hooey and we can do better, they are old outdated practices that no long apply to me, or do we embrace what the Church asks us to the best of our ability. As Christians we are called to a level of obedience that we are very uncomfortable with in our 21st century American life.
During the season of Lent the Church calls us back to a much simpler form of spirituality. We have a much simpler form of eating and we are reminded, through the readings, of what life with God is supposed to be like. The services of Holy Week bring us along the path with Jesus as He takes his final steps on earth, and they remind us of that walk that we are supposed to be taking with Him each and every day but we have to be obedient to His call.
In these last few days of Great Lent, take this time to get your spiritual life back on track. St. John Chrysostom in his paschal homily basically says it is never too late, but why wait the time is now!
Be in done to me according to YOUR word!
