Luke 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For the word of God will never fail.”

38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

One miraculous birth had already been announced. This second one was even more miraculous. Mary, the mother-to-be was a virgin!

We can imagine how discombobulating this must have been for Mary. We are told that she was confused and disturbed even before there was any mention of a baby. Presumably she as also afraid, since the angel urged her not to be. Being visited by an angel was frightening. Even being called "favoured" and being told God was with her was apparently not comforting.

Then came the news of her pregnancy and the description of her child. Look at what was said. Mary could have been left in no doubt that the child she was to bear was the long-awaited Messiah. The Son of the Most High. Given the throne of his ancestor David. Reign over Israel forever. Having a kingdom that would never end.

Mary came from a remote northern village and was, as far as we know, insignificant. It is no surprise that this news came as a shock.

But even more perplexing... how could this possibly happen... she was a virgin!

The conception would be supernatural - by the power of the Holy Spirit. That was why this baby could be called holy and the Son of God.

Zechariah had asked how he could be sure that the angel spoke the truth. He was punished for unbelief. Mary questioned how she could possibly have a child and she was not punished. What was the difference?

We saw yesterday that Zechariah had not believed. He suggested the angel must have been wrong.

Mary, apparently, believed it would happen but couldn't understand how. We can see the nature of her response on the word, "I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true." They are truly remarkable words. She submitted herself completely to God. What God wanted, she would be part of. She was a servant of God.

There was going to be huge cost. Even though she did not yet know that Jesus would be crucified, there would be the cost of rejection by all those who would assume she had been promiscuous. She risked losing her fiance.

But she said, "i am the Lord's servant."

For Reflection

1. Mary would have known all of the prophecies about the Messiah. What must it have been like to have been selected to give birth to Him?

2. What could you do today so that, when God speaks to you, your response is "Yes, Lord!"?

Perhaps the best way to remember Saint Nicholas would be to give a gift to someone who is poor. What could you make or buy as a family? How could you get it to someone in need?

Dear Father, we thank you for the beautiful servant-heartedness and the great faith of Mary. Thank you that through her obedience, the whole world received its Saviour. Please help us to also be very ready to say "yes" when you speak to us.

In Jesus' name, amen.