The Annunciation

The Youth In the Spirit Seminar has just come to a close and I was just looking at some stuff in the Bible and realising that what we did at the camp actually can be understood by looking at the mystery of the Annunciation.

Reflecting on this mystery is important for me because I remember telling a lot of people to be like Mary and to say “Yes” so that Jesus can come alive within them. It occurs to me now that in doing something like that, we, the ministers, are actually playing the role of the Archangel Gabriel. We are bringing the news that God wants to live inside all our participants.

It is interesting that the words said by the angel are similar to the words we sometimes use while undertaking the work of ministering. We tend to echo the angel’s words, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” Now, as for the next bit of that line (Luke 1:35), the angel says, “therefore, the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.” Do we say this? Does this apply?

(OK, I’m no expert so all I can give is my opinion. Hopefully it helps but if it is in anyway wrong, please do feel free to correct me. I really don’t want to tie a millstone around my neck for leading sheep astray.)

When we pray for the Holy Spirit to fall upon somebody, we should pray for a child to be born within that person. No. I do not mean literally. I mean that the Holy Spirit, when He first comes into contact with a person, would create a new person, a new Child of God. I guess that’s why I feel that the theme for this year, “All Things New” was a truly inspired theme. Anyway, we should thus pray for an awakening, within the person we pray over, of a new Child of God who will be holy, so holy that he/she will be called a Child of God. I guess that is what many people come to the camp seeking to achieve. Thus we need to be their angels and serve them in the same way the Archangel serves the Mother of God.

So if the ministers play the role of the Archangel Gabriel, it follows that the participants, those who have received the gift of the Holy Spirit should play the role of Mary. Mary is given a mission by the angel and she carries out this mission even though it is rather difficult especially in her new state. She brings Jesus to her relative and there is no outward show of Him but rather, He is concealed within her. Do we who have received the Holy Spirit do such a thing?

Let’s examine this a little further. Do we carry Jesus around like Mary does, in such a way as to give joy to others even though they might not be able to outwardly see Him? I tend to not be a huge fan of extreme evangelists who keep preaching of fire and brimstone and how everybody must accept Jesus as Lord or they’ll go to hell or something. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that it’s a sin or anything; I’m just saying that I just don’t think it’s effective. I think we should just follow Mary’s example and start with our own circle of friends and family and that we should carry Jesus to them such that it will give the joy that only He can give.

Let’s just embark on that mission then, all of us who have received new life after our YISS. Let us serve those around us with a spirit of Love and Joy such that those around us can see and even feel the Joy of Jesus within us. Let us start small, with our family and close friends and just spread His Love.

Right, I know I said I was going to reflect on the Annunciation but then went on to talk about the visitation and I apologise but I felt that putting them together might be a little clearer. I have a strange feeling my next post will continue on from here and look at the Magnificat, Mary’s beautiful song of praise to God.