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.
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)
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