THE ”LET IT BE” OF THE THEOTOKOS
(Monday, April 7)
“Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin… Then Mary said, ‘Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me (γένοιτό μοι, genoito moi) according to your word.’ And the angel departed from her.” (Lk 1:26-27, 38)
As we on the Older Calendar celebrate the Annunciation this Monday, which we call “the beginning of our salvation” in the main hymn of the feast, I’m thinking about the “Let it be” (or “genoito” in Greek) of the Theotokos. It reminds me of God’s creative process at the beginning, when He said, “Let there be (“genetheto” in Greek) light,” which made light be, in our material world.
Now it is her word, “Let it be,” that makes God’s word (evangelized to her by the angel) be, or become incarnate, in our material world. But now, her word is a response to God’s; her “Let it be” is the “Amen” to the will of the Father, to send the Son, by the coming upon her of the Spirit, Who at the beginning hovered over the waters of our material world. Now “in the sixth month” it’s the “Amen” of the human being, created on the Sixth Day, that God is engaging in His creative process, of bringing light from darkness and Life from a virginal womb.
How can we relate to all this? God continues to engage us, if we let Him, if we “Let it be,” in His creative process, of incarnating through us His good word and will. Each of us is called, time and again, to say “Amen” to God’s will for us, to be vessels of His grace, to bring forth light from the darkness of our world. This is not always easy. It might even seem impossible, and we ask: How can this be? Even she asked that. And even she responded by feeling “troubled,” when the angel had said “Rejoice!” and “The Lord is with you!” But he told her, Do not be afraid. On this feast day, amidst our troubled times, we’re reminded that indeed, the Lord is with us, and we need not be afraid of rejoicing. He has new life on offer for each of us, me and you, whoever is reading this. Let it be, Lord, whatever You bring me this Monday. And help us be vessels of Your word today, like little lights shining in the darkness, by the prayers of the Theotokos.
