Luke 1:26-38
The angel Gabriel
was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed
to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And
coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she
was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this
might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have
found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and
you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most
High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he
will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no
end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations
with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come
upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the
child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth,
your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth
month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary
said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to
your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Reflections
After Mary was
engaged to be married to Joseph, an angel suddenly announced to her, “Behold,
you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.” This
caused Mary to be greatly troubled: How could a woman who is not yet married
have a child? Clearly, the angel's message was not simply about having children
after marriage, but rather that she would conceive as a virgin. To human
understanding, this was impossible and had never happened before. Thus, Mary asked,
“How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” Indeed, being pregnant
while unmarried would make it very difficult for Mary to stand in society at
that time.
The angel said to
her in reply, “Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in
her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for
nothing will be impossible for God.” Unless God performs a miracle, there is
nothing impossible. Since the angel was delivering God's command to Mary,
announcing that she would conceive a child, from God's perspective, once God
has spoken, it will certainly be fulfilled. Therefore, Mary’s focus needed to
shift from the limitations of humanity to the infinite power of God. From a
human standpoint, it would obviously be impossible for a virgin to conceive;
however, by trusting in God's power, through the Holy Spirit, this impossible
mission became possible. Thus, when we face many impossible situations, we must
look to Jesus. God encouraged Mary through the example of Elizabeth, who
conceived in her old age. Similarly, God uses people to help others experience
His grace. Just as in daily life, God continually uses us to help others
experience His grace.
How did Mary
respond to this difficult mission? She recognized that conceiving and giving
birth was God's will, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to
me according to your word.” Mary's response shows her humility. She knew her
identity and did not take pride in the great mission that came from God. She
identified herself as the handmaid of the Lord, willing to dedicate herself
wholeheartedly to her Master. Regarding the angel's announcement, she was
willing to trust God with all her heart. Mary was also obedient to God. She had
a clear understanding of who God was, knowing that God loved her and also loved
her people. Though she did not understand how it would happen and was aware of
the consequences of accepting this mission, she still willingly obeyed, simply
because of God's love.
Practice
Let us learn from
the Blessed Virgin Mary. Like you and me, she was an ordinary person, yet she
was willing to fulfill a difficult mission and achieve an extraordinary life. When
facing the mission (or trial) that God gives us, these three “beholds” help us
understand that relying on human strength alone makes it hard to accomplish the
mission; but with God's strength, nothing is impossible. Though we may feel
discomfort along the way, as long as we focus on Jesus, let go of ourselves,
humble ourselves before God, and willingly obey, always ready to bear
suffering, and patiently wait for God's marvelous works, we will find that our
lives will become different.
Today’s Bible
verses
“To do your will,
O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!” (Psalm 40:9)
