Mary, Mother of the Lord
Luke presents the Annunciation story in 1:26-38.
We know the story well since it is read often during the Advent Christmas
season.
In the sixth month, 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, favored one! 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.
[ 4] Luke writes this to a Christian audience about
the birth of the Messiah to help them marvel at the mighty works of God. As
one reads these infancy narrative accounts in chapters one and two, one can
easily appreciate the place and role of Mary in God's redemptive plan for
humankind.
Mary is significant in how God saves the world.
As we see in this passage God, through an angel, invites Mary to be the
mother of the Messiah. There is no coercion in her decision to respond with
openness saying "yes" to God's invitation. Her role in God's design is to be
the Mother of Jesus, the savior. All of this will be done through the power
of the Holy Spirit.
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