The meaning of the Annunciation is an announcement. Nine months before Jesus is born, the angel Gabriel is sent to the Virgin Mary to announce the conception of the Son of God through the Holy Spirit. Although it’s not likely that Jesus was actually born on December 25, March 25, exactly nine months before Christmas, is the most logical day to celebrate the Annunciation. God’s every announcement has a valuable message for each one of us. Through His announcement God revealed Mary’s perpetual virginity, Motherhood of God and Her glorious assumption.

There are 3 practical lessons we can learn from Mary and from the Solemnity of Annunciation of the Lord:

Be prepared to be used by God.

As an unmarried young woman from Nazareth, Mary has a very low social status, but God doesn’t care about that. Mary continues a long list of people in the Bible who felt inadequate (Moses, Rahab, David, Jonah, Naomi to name just a few) that God uses to fulfill His promises. Mary allowed herself to be used by God to fulfill His promise and to redeem humanity from the sin.

Put your faith in God

In great contrast to Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist who doubts Gabriel’s announcement that he’ll have a son, Mary is described by her cousin Elizabeth as “she who has believed” (Luke 1:45). Mary believed because she was always in union with God through prayer. Mary’s pure and innocent faith grew into a giant fruit bearing tree of her life.

Live your life as a servant of the Lord

Mary ultimately responds to Gabriel with the powerful words, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled” (Luke 1:38). Through Mary’s willingness to be used by God, we have an incredible example of the Apostle Paul’s later request for followers of Christ to be a “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). God was impressed by Mary’s humble servant ship and crowned her as the queen of heaven and earth.