25 March 2020 “The Lord is with you…Do not be afraid.” (Luke 1:28-30)

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation of the angel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In yesterday’s Gospel according to Saint Mark, the Lord said to us; “Take heart, it is I. Do not be afraid” (Mark 6:50). In this confusing time of despair where fear is taking over our hearts due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, we ask the Lord, where are you Lord and how can we not be afraid? Then as if to continually remind us we hear the words of the Archangel Gabriel to Mary; “The Lord is with you….do not be afraid” (Luke 1:28-30). We see the courage and strength of the Blessed Virgin Mary who put her trust in the will of God despite the confusion and potential despair of the social and personal challenges that her pregnancy would have presented. What did Mary do? She believed, she trusted, she was not afraid and she got up and took Jesus to her cousin Elizabeth who was in need. We too, need to believe, we too, need to trust, we too, must not be afraid, and we too, need to get up and take action because the Lord is with us. Although we have been greatly restricted in our movements we can still take Jesus to others through our prayers. We need to think outside the square and not be spiritually paralyzed by this pandemic and take the peace that Mary received to those who cannot find peace because fear has crowned their being. Let us sing with Mary the hymn from our Maronite liturgy; “Peace he greeted me, I took God’s peace, then I gave that peace, from this day, on earth, the peace of God is planted…” (Entrance Hymn, The Announcement to Mary)

Today, Mary continues to bring us that peace because she continues to bring Jesus to us. Let us also take Jesus to the world, even it is from the confines of our homes and our rooms. Where there is peace, fear will never reside, only hope. Where there is peace, Christ definitely resides because he is our peace and our hope. A blessed feast of the Assumption to all. Amen.