Good News for Protestants, too

The Feast of the Annunciation celebrates the Angel Gabriel’s pronouncement to Mary that she would bear a child and he would be the Son of God—Emmanuel, “God with us.” The feast falls on March 25, exactly nine months before Christmas Day, because, well, that’s how long it takes to grow a baby. For Catholics this is one of the highest feast days of the year, but Protestants may be less familiar with it, and perhaps even wondering why it is a day that deserves to be set aside for celebration.

Here are are just a few reasons:

It’s in the Bible! I think I could stop here, but I’ll keep going…
This story often gets swept up into the Advent and Christmas narrative, and isn’t given the full attention that it deserves, because…
This is the moment of the Incarnation. The Incarnation isn’t simply when Jesus is born—it begins nine months before—the moment Mary becomes pregnant with him. This is when God takes on flesh and enters the world.
This is the pronouncement of the Gospel—the Good News of great joy, that God would dwell among us.
Because Mary is extraordinarily important—even for Protestants. The early church Fathers believed that just as Christ is the “New Adam” that Paul speaks of in Romans 5:12-18, Mary is the “New Eve” who also plays apart in reversing the curse. Eve listened to the words of the serpent in the Garden and brought condemnation unto humankind, but Mary listened to the words of the angel and bore redemption unto humankind. This thought is seen as early as the second century in the writings of Justin Martyr and Irenaeus.

For all these reasons and more, I think it’s important that ALL Christians celebrate the Annunciation and teach it to their children.

Below is a short lesson and liturgy on the Annunciation. Catholics will want to close or open with the Hail Mary, which comes from this very passage of scripture.

Children’s Liturgy & Lesson

Light Candle

Today, we celebrate the good news the Angel Gabriel brought to Mary: that she would give birth to a son, Jesus, and that he would be God with us. We light this candle to remind us that Jesus was born as the light of the world, and that we are his light in the world.

Pray

Dear God, we thank you for your servant, Mary, who joyfully and faithfully brought your son Jesus into the world. Like Mary, may we also bring the light of Christ to everyone we meet. Amen.

Reading

Below is a paraphrase of Luke 1:28-38. If you have three readers, I suggest doing a “Reader’s Theater” with each person reading a different part.

Narrator: Long ago, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to the city of Nazareth, to share good news with the Virgin Mary who was engaged to Joseph of the house of David.

Gabriel: Hail, Mary, favored one, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.

Narrator: When Mary saw the angel, she was troubled.

Gabriel: Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold you will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High.

Mary: How shall this be since I have no husband?

Gabriel: It is from the Holy Spirit that this child comes. With God nothing is impossible.

Mary: Behold, I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be according to your word.

Lesson

Today is the Feast of the Annunciation. Annunciation is a big word. It means to say something important, to proclaim big news. Annunciation means to announce.

In the Bible, God sends messengers from Heaven down to earth to share news with the people. These messengers are called Angels. The word Angel means messenger.

One of the Angels in the Bible is named Gabriel. And he announced the most important news of all time. He told Mary that she would give birth to Jesus. This is the greatest news anyone every received. God came to earth to live and die and rise again so that we can live with God forever, too!

Now, I’m going to let you in on a cool secret. We celebrate the Annunciation on March 25. It takes nine months for a mother to grow a baby in her belly. What day comes nine months after March 25? December 25—Christmas! There are nine months between March 25 and December 25. Nine months between the Annunciation and Christmas. Nine months to grow a baby.

And here’s what’s so incredible. It’s not just Mary who gets to bring Jesus into the world. We do, too! Jesus lived inside of Mary, and he lives inside of us. Not in our bellies, but in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. When we love others like Jesus, we bring him into the world just like Mary did all those many years ago.

Sing

Sing Along to It Here

Mary, Mary,
Do not be afraid.

I bring you good news! Good, good news!
I bring you good news, Good news!

You shall bear a son, Emmanuel.

I bring you good news! Good, good news!
I bring you good news, Good news!

He will bring the healing for the world.

I bring you good news! Good, good news!
I bring you good news, Good news!

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son to live among us as the light of the world. Thank you for your servant, Mary, who faithfully cared for and loved him. And thank you for your Angel, Gabriel, who shared the good news of great joy for us all. Help us to be a light like your Son, to bring Jesus into the world like Mary, and to share the Good News like Gabriel. Amen.

I am a Protestant, but I will not be celebrating Reformation Day tomorrow. You may disagree with me and that’s okay—I hope this will always be a space where we can listen earnestly to opposite viewpoints, and when we disagree, do so with grace and charity.

For those of you wondering what the heck Reformation Day is, let me catch you up to speed. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses, a paper written to dispute the abuse of indulgences by Catholic clergy, onto the door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg, Germany. This event marks the beginning of what eventually became the Protestant Reformation. It is why your denomination—and thousands others—exist today.

So why don’t I, a Protestant (one might even say a “Professional Protestant”) celebrate the very reason for my church’s existence?

First, the Protestant church is not my church. Christ’s church is my church, and it consists of anyone who confesses Jesus Christ as Lord—Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox alike.
The division of Christ’s church is not something to celebrate. It is something to mourn. Yes, I believe the Reformation brought about important, and ultimately necessary changes, but it ought to break our hearts that the cost of those reforms is the brokenness of Christ’s own body.
Finally, the church already has a name for October 31, and it’s All Hallows’ Eve—a day in which we watch and eagerly anticipate All Saints’ Day.

Do I think one can celebrate Reformation Day without glorifying division and boasting in our brokenness? I do. But, I would rather pray for unity, for peace, and for faithfulness in the whole Body of Christ.

So, instead tomorrow, I will affirm the Joint Declaration put forth by the Lutheran and Catholic Church in 1999: “We confess together: By grace alone, in faith in Christ’s saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling us to good works.” Amen.

Additional Resources

“Reformation Day” by Timothy George, Founding Dean of Beeson Divinity School

Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification by the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church

“The Gift of Salvation” — a joint statement of unity by the Evangelicals and Catholics together

The Annunciation

Good News for Protestants, too

Children’s Liturgy & Lesson

Light Candle

Pray

Reading

Lesson

Sing

Closing Prayer

Why this Protestant Doesn't Celebrate Reformation Day

Additional Resources