Annunciation hope in the Jubilee Year
Stained glass window of Our Lady at St Cuthbert's church, North Shields
On the feast of the Annunciation, Catherine from our Theology team reflects on Mary’s example of hope and faith in God.
In Lent, our thoughts travel towards Jesus’ death, as we prepare to celebrate the new life that the resurrection brings. But this week, we cast our minds back to the Annunciation. The day when Mary first finds out that she will give birth to God’s Son.
Explore our daily Lent reflections as you prepare for Easter.
Willing to say ‘yes’
On the feast of the Annunciation, we recall Mary’s willingness to say ‘yes’ to God. Despite the upheaval that this child will undoubtedly bring, she courageously accepts God’s invitation, allowing the Lord to work in and through her.
None of us can know what the future holds. But we do know that the way will not always be easy. Every life has its difficult moments. And we are facing some serious challenges in our world today, as we see the impacts of conflict, the climate crisis and rising inequality.
Uncertainty about the future can cause doubt and anxiety and the scale of the problems in our world can lead us to feel helpless. But in a world where hope can sometimes seem to be in short supply, Mary gives us an example of how it can truly work in our lives. As Pope Francis says:
“Hope finds its supreme witness in the Mother of God. In the Blessed Virgin, we see that hope is not naïve optimism but a gift of grace amid the realities of life.” Spes non confundit #24
Her answer to the angel Gabriel displays the profound hope and trust that she has in God.
“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38
Mary’s hope amid the realities of life extends beyond this first moment of acceptance of God’s plan for her. It continues always. She remains steadfast as Jesus leaves for his ministry and despite the opposition that he faces because of his teaching. She is there at the foot of the Cross, and she is still with the disciples in the Upper Room when the Spirit comes.
What is God calling us to in our lives today? Are we willing to say ‘yes’ to God and play our part in bringing about God’s kingdom here on earth?
Tangible signs of hope
This year is a Jubilee Year, a year when the call to hope is more profound than ever. We are all called to be pilgrims of hope, being “tangible signs of hope” to anyone who is struggling.
Our hope is not just a vague wish for better times. It is founded in the belief that God is with us and will not abandon us. God will not ask more of us than we are capable of giving, because as the Angel Gabriel says to Our Lady, when she was told she would bear Jesus, the Christ, “nothing is impossible for God.” (Luke 1:37)
So in this Jubilee Year, we can try to be open to God’s will working within us. We can give generously of all that we have – our time, our money, our prayers and our talents – to help and support one another. We can call on those in power to live differently too, and to reshape our society for the benefit of all. Because we know that a better world needs all of us to play our part.
Become a pilgrim of hope in this Jubilee Year.
When times are tough, when hope is hard to come by, we can turn to Our Lady, who herself was filled with hope and faith, to guide us and pray for us that we might follow her example.
“It is not by chance that popular piety continues to invoke the Blessed Virgin as Stella Maris, a title that bespeaks the sure hope that, amid the tempests of this life, the Mother of God comes to our aid, sustains us and encourages us to persevere in hope and trust.” Spes non confundit #24