Christmas in March?

Christmas in March?

Today is the Feast of the Annunciation – the moment when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary with weighted words: she will bear the Son of God. When I saw that today, March 25, was the Feast of the Annunciation, it felt out of order, out of step, and out of season. We typically think of Mary, Gabriel, and Jesus during Advent, not Lent.

Having the Feast today makes complete sense, after re realize that today is nine months before Christmas. The miracle of Christ’s birth starts today. The incarnation began here, in this moment of divine interruption, long before the manger in Bethlehem. Mary carried the consequences of her “Yes” for nine long months before she saw its fruition. God’s work in our lives often begins in quiet, unseen, confusing ways, which requires faith, patience, and enduring trust.

What a long season of believing it must have been for Mary! She was confused; she had questions: “How can this be?!” Ultimately, she yielded to God’s will. She didn’t demand to see the full picture before saying yes. The story reminds us that faith is not about having all the answers but about trusting God who knows us, calls us, and empowers us to carry the weight of our “Yes” to God.

The angel told Mary, “You have found favor with God,” and the word “favor” here means grace. This tells us something profound—sometimes the hard task God calls us to is itself a grace. It may not always feel like a gift in the moment. Grace does not mean ease; it is God’s presence and promises to sustain us. Just as the angel assured Mary that the Holy Spirit would overshadow her and God’s power would uphold her, we, too, are never left alone in our callings. Angels will help, grace will guide, and mercy and wisdom will unfold as we walk the road of obedience.

Today, as we Feast on the gospel we find in the Annunciation, may we, like Mary, have the courage to say yes to grace, trusting in God’s promises will bear fruit within God’s perfect time.