The readings this week have been filled with messages from angels and in each account have been sharing the good news of new life. The word good news or gospel comes from the Greek euangelion. Eu means good and angelion means news. Angelos, deriving from the same source as angelion, means messenger. Angels are messengers of the gospel, the good news. They receive and are sent by God to deliver his good news.
In today’s gospel from Luke, the archangel Gabriel has come to bring incredible news and because Mary ascents with her, “Yes.” a savior has been born for us in space and time. The incarnation, the Son of God becoming man, is what we are preparing to remember and celebrate in five days! This good news that we hear each year is not only good news to celebrate but through receiving this truth we are invited to have our lives transformed.
The reality that the Son of God became one with us in our humanity so that we can become one with him in his divinity is an incredible reality that we are invited to participate in. Each day we are invited like Mary was to receive Jesus, to receive his transforming light and infinite love, and like John the Baptist to become less so that Jesus can become more.
Strictly and metaphysically speaking, we are not angels. Angels are spiritual beings and not physical. We as human beings are spiritual and physical beings. Because Jesus became human, lived, suffered, died, conquered death, rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven fully human and fully divine, we then who participate in his life, participate also in his divinity and so are higher than the angels. Good news that Lucifer the archangel did not receive well and so became Satan, the accuser, opposer, or adversary, and why he and those angels who followed him rebelled.
As human beings, we too are given free will as are the angels. We may reject or accept the gospel. When we say, “Yes” that is only our first step. We too then are invited to evangelize like the angels, and like Mary in going in haste to Elizabeth, to share the good news of what Jesus is doing in our lives.
We are invited each day and throughout the day to breathe, receive, rest, and abide in God’s love. Then in our interactions with one another allow God to happen through us. A smile, an attentive ear, a shoulder to lean on, a willingness to be present, to be aware, and to offer to be of help, are simple ways that we can do little things with great love and so with Mary, the saints, and the angels, help to bring to earth what is practiced in heaven – the communion, unity, and love of God.
Painting: The Annunciation by Henry Ossawa Tanner, 1899
Spiritual Stepping Stones 