The second Sunday of the Season of Announcement commemorates the announcement to Mary that she is to be the Mother of God. The feast actually recalls two aspects of the same salvific mystery: the incarnation of the divine Word and the motherhood of Mary. For this reason, the feast was given different names according to the aspect which was being emphasized. With time, the incarnation of the Son of God was stressed on the feast of the Birth of our Lord and today's feast became a Marian feast.
In addition to this second Sunday of the Season of Announcement, the Maronite Church celebrates the Annunciation on March 25th. The feast of the Annunciation appeared in the West, in Italy, during the fifth century, and was eventually adopted by the Maronite Church.
The great announcement to Mary, the fulfillment of the promises of the prophets, took place in the humble home of Mary in Nazareth. At the time, Mary was probably between fourteen and sixteen. Again it was Gabriel, the messenger of the end times, who brought the wonderful message to the young girl.
In many ways, the announcement to Mary can be compared to the announcement to Zechariah. Both apparitions took place during the day and both Zechariah and Mary were to be found at prayer. Mary, the Queen, is speaking with her Lord in her own home. It was necessary for Zechariah to go to the Temple and encounter the Lord in the holy of holies. When the angel appeared to Zechariah, he was described as "standing". During the announcement to Mary, the angel greets her with signs of respect, gives her the good news and departs. He is not described as "standing". The angel himself praises Mary, "You have found favor with God".
In the name of all of humanity, Mary consented to be the instrument through which salvation was to be brought into the world. One recalls Eve, who consented to bring darkness and sin into the world. With Mary, the New Eve, salvation history is at a turning point. She is to be the "Mother of the Light".
The Maronite calendar commemorates this feast twice during the year: today and on the Second Sunday of Announcement. Today's feast goes back to the fourth century, when it was decided to celebrate Christmas on December 25th; the Annunciation was naturally celebrated nine months before. This is a great feast in both the East and the West since it recalls the mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God in the womb of the Virgin.
Mother of God (Wa in kana jismouki)
Mother of God, O Gentle One,
treasure of mercy and our hope.
You are our refuge and in you we place our trust.
Intercede for us, O Virgin Mary
and have compassion on our dead.
Though your body may be far from us,
Virgin Mother when you pray.
But your prayers are always with us
giving us protection and shelter.
We implore you to ask him who honoured you
when he became incarnate from you.
Ask him for us sinners, forgiveness
and his mercy for ever and ever.
You are our Mother, you are our hope
you are our glory and you are our refuge.
Be our advocate before your Son
that in his mercy, he may forgive our sins.
Do not abandon us, O Gentle Mother.
You are full of all the graces.
Pray for your children, all your children,
who give you thanks for ever and ever.
Fr Geoffrey Abdallah.