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Lenten Season · Year A

Annunciation of the Lord

Always March 25 but transferred if it falls on a Sunday · March 25, 2026

The Cestello Annunciation, Sandro Botticelli
The Cestello Annunciation, Sandro Botticelli, 1489–1490Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence (PD-Art)
The two figures bend towards each other in a single curving movement, hands almost touching, with an empty tiled floor between them and a river landscape beyond.Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you: the reading is this exchange, and Botticelli painted the recoil and the consent in one gesture.Sandro BotticelliA Florentine painter of extraordinary line, who fell under Savonarola's influence late and reportedly burned some of his own work.Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence (PD-Art)Built as Medici offices, hence the name, and turned over to the family's art collection, which was left to the city on condition it never leave.Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence (PD-Art)
Revised Common Lectionary
GospelLuke 1:26-38Lk 1:26-38
EpistleHeb. 10:4-10Heb 10:4-10
Old TestamentIsa. 7:10-14Is 7:10-14
PsalterPs. 45Ps 45 orPs. 40:5-10Ps 40:5-10

Overview & Insights

“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)

The mention of “the sixth month” in 1:26, 36 ties this episode in closely with the preceding one (note “five months” in 1:24), and the angel’s news about Elizabeth (1:36) keeps the two angelic announcements closely linked, thus preparing for the meeting of the two pregnant mothers in 1:39–56. The similar announcements to Zechariah and to Mary by the same angelic messenger prepare the reader for the parallel accounts of the births of John and Jesus in 1:57–66 and 2:1–20. But there is also a significant escalation between the two announcements, both in the status of the one to be born (prophetic forerunner as compared with Son of God) and in the scale of the miracle involved (a woman beyond normal childbearing years compared with a virgin without sexual intercourse).

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Take it further: Luke 1:26-38

Commentary

Commentary on Luke 1:26-38Commentary on Lk 1:26-38 Working Preacher

The Lutheran home commentary, written for this feast, on Gabriel's announcement and Mary's faithful let it be.

Luke 1:26-38 CommentaryLk 1:26-38 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching

A Reformed preaching commentary reading Mary's call alongside the calling of the prophets.

Luke 1, The AnnunciationLk 1, The Annunciation Enduring Word · David Guzik

A verse-by-verse evangelical commentary on the annunciation scene.

Luke Commentaries and SermonsLk Commentaries and Sermons Precept Austin

An inductive study gateway with word studies and cross references across Luke, including chapter 1.

Luke 1:26 CommentariesLk 1:26 Commentaries BibleHub

Classic commentaries gathered verse by verse on the annunciation.

Background & Word Study

Overview: Luke 1-9Overview: Lk 1-9 BibleProject

An animated overview mapping the infancy narrative and the annunciation.

Luke 1:26 InterlinearLk 1:26 Interlinear BibleHub

The Greek of the passage word by word with parsing and lexical helps.

The Church Fathers

Luke 1 (Catena)Lk 1 (Catena) Catena

Patristic comment on Gabriel's greeting and Mary's assent, verse by verse.

Sermons & Reflections

Lectionary essay on Luke 1:26-38Lectionary essay on Lk 1:26-38 The Christian Century

A Christian Century essay on the annunciation to Mary, written for the Advent reading of the same passage.

Worship & Prayers

The Annunciation The Lectionary Page

The Anglican lectionary page with this Holy Day's full set of propers and collect.

Art & Music

Art in the Christian Tradition Vanderbilt

A curated image index for one of the most-painted scenes in Christian art.

Study Hub

Luke 1:26-38Lk 1:26-38 Textweek

A lectionary link aggregator across commentary, worship, and preaching resources for this Gospel.

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