Monday 26 March 2012

Background

Today's passage has been selected because the 25th March (LadyDay) is traditionally the day to commemorate the Annunciation,Gabriel's message to Mary promising the birth of Jesus. But whenthe 25th falls on a Sunday, the commemoration is transferred to thenext day.

In the first chapter of his Gospel Luke sets the scene for thestory he goes on to tell. Both John the Baptist and Jesus come ontothe scene by divine initiative. In the case of John, his motherElizabeth is thought to be too old for pregnancy (Luke1:7). In the case of Jesus his mother Mary is a virgin.Although the Greek word Luke uses can mean simply a young woman, itis clear from the way he tells the story that virginity is what isintended. So the beginning of the good news is not due to any humaninitiative but is God's intervention.

This is emphasised by Gabriel's greeting in verses 28 and 30. ThatMary has been selected to be the mother of Jesus is entirely God'schoice, God's "favour" (the older translation, "full of grace"could be misleading in hinting that in some sense Mary deserved tobe selected - the grace is God's, not hers).

As Luke's Gospel progresses we will learn that Jesus has been sentto bring salvation to all nations, but at this point the stress ison continuity. Jesus comes for the Jewish people in the firstinstance, and is the fulfilment of the promises God has made tothem in the past (verses 32-33).

Mary's response (verse 38) is one of total acceptance: a model forevery believer.

To Ponder

The idea of a virgin birth is hard for some toaccept in a scientific age. How important is it to insist on it asan article of faith?

Think of Mary's words in verse 38 in relation toyour own life. What application might they have?

What if Mary had said 'no'?