In today’s gospel, the angel Gabriel visits Mary and announces that she ‘will conceive and bear a son who will be named Jesus.  He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High and the Lord God will five him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever…’  I cannot imagine what Mary was feeling.  Imagine, minding your own business and poof an angel appears!  Not only does the angel appear, but the message had to have been terrifying.  A young, engaged woman becoming pregnant in biblical times would certainly be a scandal, not only for Mary but for Joseph.  Additionally, Mary learns that her much older cousin was six months through a pregnancy.  Mary’s incredible faith in the Lord is evident when she replies “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your word.” 

I am amazed when I reflect on this passage.  My faith has always been important to me, but I’m not sure how strong it truly is.   I try to look for the lesson in everything—particularly the hard stuff.  I pray at least daily and fervently when I need something.  But there is no way I could listen to an angel give me scary news and simply go along with it. I would have been full of questions and would likely have tried to get out of the situation.  If I couldn’t have been relieved of the ‘ask’, I probably would have at least a little irritated about the whole thing.

I think Mary and Elizabeth too, are excellent models for us.  The faith and trust they had in God’s plan are truly remarkable.  This was only the beginning of Mary’s journey of trust in God.  Think of the scary times to come…the flight into Egypt, the loss of the child Jesus in the temple and ultimately the crucifixion and death of Jesus.  As a mother, I cannot fathom the magnitude of these events.  Yet, through it all Mary remained a steadfast servant of the Lord.

As we approach the birth of our Savior, let us remember with gratitude the faith Mary had in God.  During times of doubt, go to Mary and ask for strength, guidance, and perseverance.  As we move into a new year, I’m hopeful we can each grow in our faith and trust in our Lord. 

Merry Christmas to all!