Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God

 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.  The virgin's name was Mary.  And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"  But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.  Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.  And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."  Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?"  And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.  Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is not the sixth month for her who was called barren.  For with God nothing will be impossible."  Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord!  Let it be to me according to your word."  And the angel departed from her.

- Luke 1:26-38

In yesterday's reading, we read the beginning of the Gospel of Luke.  Luke writes:  Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.  There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah.  His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.  And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.  But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.  So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.  And the whole magnitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.  Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.  And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.  But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.  And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.  For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink.  He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.  And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.  He will also go before Him into the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."  And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this?  For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."  And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.  But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."  And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.  But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.  So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.  Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."

 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.  The virgin's name was Mary.   The sixth month is the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy (see yesterday's reading, above).  Mary means exalted one, says my study bible.   Although the text mentions Joseph's lineage, it indicates that Mary and Joseph are both of the house of David -- descended from David's royal lineage -- as a devout Jew would customarily marry within his own tribe.  We note that Luke twice calls Mary a virgin.

And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"  But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.   The angel's greeting is, "Rejoice!"  The good news is right here, for hidden in it is in a reversal of the Fall.  Genesis 3:16 tells us that Even brought forth children in sorrow; but Mary is the new Eve, she will rejoice in bringing forth her Son.  As Eve suffered under a curse, Mary is now blessed.  Highly favored one (χαριτου / charitou in Greek) can also be translated as "full of grace."  My study bible says that Mary is the most blessed woman who has ever lived, because of her complete willingness to receive God's grace.  In the words of her Son, to "hear the word of God and keep it" (Luke 11:28).

Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.  And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."   My study bible tells us that Gabriel's announcement emphasizes two truths:  first, Gabriel tells Mary "you will conceive in your womb":  Jesus took His flesh (that is, His human nature), from Mary herself.  Secondly, this is the divine Son of the Highest in Mary's womb.  Therefore, this one Person, Jesus, the eternal Son and Word of God, is both fully human and fully divine.

Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?"   In contrast to Zacharias' response ("How shall I know this?"), Mary's question, "How can this be?" doesn't indicate a lack of faith.  She is actually asking as to way in which something so extraordinary would happen.

And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.  Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is not the sixth month for her who was called barren.  For with God nothing will be impossible."  Holy One, says my study bible, is a messianic title (see Psalm 16:10).  Here we are given a revelation of the Holy Trinity:  the Father (the Highest), the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord!  Let it be to me according to your word."  And the angel departed from her.   My study bible tells us that Mary's faithful response is that of the highest obedience to God.  And here's the great, "impossible" news:  the Incarnation is not just the work of God, but it also involves and asks for the free response of mankind in the person of Mary.  Once upon a time, Eve disobeyed, now Mary obeys.  Eve closed herself to God, but Mary opens to His will.   My study bible cites Theophylact of Bulgaria, who taught that Mary's response says, "I am a tablet; let the Writer write whatever He desires on it."

It's frequently pointed out how often Jesus teaches "Do not be afraid."  Here, in yesterday's reading and in today's, Gabriel's announcement to Mary and to Zacharias includes the command, "Do not be afraid."  (The angel who appears in the tomb to the myrrh-bearing women will say the same.)  "Do not be afraid" is connected to another important statement in today's reading, also repeated elsewhere by Jesus, "With God nothing will be impossible."  Both statements, "Do not be afraid," and "With God nothing will be impossible" are statements about faith.  They teach us something about faith.  They draw us more deeply into faith.  Faith, we remember, is akin to trust.  In the Greek, the word meaning to have faith is the verb to trust.  "I trust that ..." or "I have faith that ...", "I trust in ..." or "I have faith in ..." are two ways of saying the same thing.  They teach us to cast off fearfulness, being afraid.  This is something different from what is called the "fear of God," which is reverence and an understanding of God's absolute power, the might of God's word.    When each person is taught, "do not be afraid" it is a question of casting off something within themselves; this is not a question of awareness but rather a question of discarding something that is holding them back, and not allowing them to truly see.   "Do not be afraid" is a command to cast off that which keeps us from true awareness, which holds us back from opening up to the perspectives and possibilities on offer from God, and found in and by faith.  In that sense, "with God nothing will be impossible" is a reassurance about perspective, about what we put our trust in.  It asks us to open up and to expand, to trust:  to find the direction God has for us and to trust in it.  It is in this sense that Mary's response, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord!  Let it be to me according to your word" is so powerful.  She is saying "Yes" to the God who commands us not to be afraid, and "Yes" to the God for whom nothing will be impossible.  This is "Yes" to a trust in something she can't do and can't explain of herself; it is "Yes" to the God who asks for our trust, not for limitation, trepidation, denial.  What is important about all of this is its expansive nature; that is, a reality that calls upon us to expand, and to allow it to expand our worlds, our perspectives, our lives.  This is not about wishful thinking, and not about inventing a dream life in which our fantasies of wealth or fame or any other desire come true.  It's about where God calls us.  We say "Yes" to the work of God in us.  By saying "No" to being afraid, we accept God's life on offer, God's grace.  It's about finding spiritual direction and living it.  So here is the mission, to be like Mary -- the one who says "Behold the maidservant of the Lord!  Let it be to me according to your word."  Her mission defeated the Fall of the world; the first sin is overturned through her willingness not to be afraid, and to trust.  Each of us has this same mission.  But we have to find it through acceptance of our own faith, seeking sincere direction in prayer and in all the resources we're offered to help us to do so.  So often it is our own fears that hold us back.  Let us consider where exactly we put our trust, and see what something so much more vast and great than we are can bring us.  Christ teaches us to fear only God, nothing else.  Do not be afraid.

Do not be afraid Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John

Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah.  His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.  And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.  But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.  And the whole magnitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.  Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.  And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.  But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.  And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.  For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink.  He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.  And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.  He will also go before Him into the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this?  For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."  And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.  But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."  And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.  But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.

So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.  Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."

- Luke 1:1-25

In recent readings, in Matthew chapters 24 and 25, Jesus has been speaking to the disciples about the destruction to come in Jerusalem, and also about His return and the end of the age. (See the readings from last Saturday, Monday, Tuesday,  Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday).   On Saturday, Jesus finished His discourse, teaching about universal judgment:  "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'  Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'  Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:  for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'  Then they will also answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'  And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.  We have begun the cycle of readings for Christmas, which aren't progressing systematically through a particular Gospel but will be selected from the various Gospels for the season and Nativity.   Today we begin with Luke.  His introduction gives us to understand that he was not a disciple from the beginning, but his perfect understanding comes from direct sources, eyewitnesses of Christ:  the apostles themselves.  The Gospel is dedicated to Theophilus, a prominent Gentile who had received Christian instruction (see also Acts 1:1).  My study bible cites St. Ambrose, who noted that the name Theophilus means "lover" or "friend of God."  Therefore, the saint writes, "If you love God, it was written to you."

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah.  His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.  And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.  But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.   Herod is Herod the Great (father of Herod Antipas), who ruled Judea from 37-4 BC.  He was known as a great builder, who made tremendous renovations to the temple, rendering it one of the "Seven Wonders of the World."  But he had an equally renown reputation as a ruthless and vicious ruler.  My study bible says that an ancient prophecy of Jacob indicated the Messiah would come when a king ruled who was not from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10).  Herod was a non-Jew calling himself the king of Judea; as such, messianic expectations were extremely widespread.  Zacharias and Elizabeth are righteous people; not just outwardly observant, but truly inwardly, of the heart.  The text teaches us that the holiness of the Baptist comes at least in part through the faith and piety of his parents.  For a woman to be barren was considered a public reproach.  But like many women of her Jewish spiritual heritage (Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah, and Anna, the mother of the Virgin Mary), Elizabeth's barrenness was part of the fulfillment of God's plan for the salvation of His people, says my study bible -- it is God's story and its unfolding that we are reading, as told by Luke.

So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.  And the whole magnitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.  Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.  And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.  In the priestly system, each was assigned to a particular division.  There were twenty-four divisions in all.  Each would serve a week at a time in rotation.  Their responsibilities in the various duties in the temple were assigned by lot.  Zacharias in this way is assigned the duties of the high priest.  My study bible teaches that this event takes place at the time of the Atonement, when the high priest would enter the temple and make offerings for the sins of the people.  Just as we believe happens within our own liturgical practice, angels minister continually at the altar of the Lord, though usually unseen.  My study bible says that those priests of pure heart, like Zacharias, are occasionally chosen by God to witness this angelic liturgy.  Isaiah writes of their song, repeated in our services; Revelation reveals their worship in heaven.

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.  And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.  For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink.  He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.  And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.  He will also go before Him into the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."   We remember that Zacharias was praying for the atonement of the sins of Israel (not a son).  But Gabriel's announcement tells us that both Zacharias' prayer for atonement and also Elizabeth will conceive a son, instrumental in the salvation history of Israel.  John the Baptist, says my study bible, will announce the atonement; he will identify Christ as "the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world" (see John 1:29).  The prophet Elijah was expected to reappear as forerunner of the second coming of the Lord (Malachi 4:5), as is several times noted throughout the Gospels.  John the Baptist will fulfill the spirit and power of Elijah as forerunner of the Lord's first coming (Matthew 11:14).

And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this?  For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."  And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.  But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."  And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.  But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.   My study bible says that Zacharias is disciplined for his lack of faith, and yet it also serves as proof that the announcement of Gabriel is true.  The Messiah, it explains, was expected to fulfill three crucial roles that were held by various people in the Old Testament:  prophet, priest, and king.  We consider Christ to be true Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15-18), true King (Luke 23:3, Isaiah 9:7, Micah 5:2), and the true High Priest (Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 4:14).  God has silenced the prophets for many years in preparation for the coming of Christ, and also permitted an illegitimate usurper (Herod) to occupy the position of the king of Judea.  In the last days before Christ's coming, the high priest is also silenced.  These three roles were therefore vacant, illegitimate and silent;  thereby all is ready for the Son of God to be revealed as Prophet, King, and Priest.

So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.  Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."   My study bible once again notes the significance of the fact that for so long there had not been a great prophet in Israel, not since the time of Malachi (1 Maccabees 9:27).  It heightened anticipation of the Christ, the Messiah and would make it more evident when He came.  John the Baptist, as prophet preparing the way for Christ, as kept hidden until Christ was conceived.  After that, John was revealed through the prophetic act of leaping in Elizabeth's womb (Luke 1:41).

The story of Christ begins within a framework.  That is, within a framework of salvation for God's people.  The story of Christ doesn't begin here; it begins in Genesis, in the "speaking into being" of the world, of Creation.  John's Gospel reflects this very clearly, with its prologue teaching us about God the Word and the reflective phrase, "in the beginning."  It's a whole history and the story of God and God's Creation, God and God's people.  Right into the middle of this story we begin with Zacharias and Elizabeth, and the story of the one who is called the Forerunner, John the Baptist.  Christ Incarnate is the centerpiece of the full story, and without John, God's story of the Christ would not be complete.  John's story begins here, within the framework of expectation of the people of Israel, those who await a Messiah, a Prophet, a King, a great High Priest.  In the shadow of the Roman Empire, with all its modernizing influences, its great and vast worldly power, even the beautification and stunning glorious rebuilding and fortification of the temple into something grand enough for Herod and for Empire, into all this comes our story which appropriately begins with the prayer in the temple.   As powerful and complex as the world becomes, the time is always right to think about reconciliation, righteousness, and what it means to be a "people of God."  Who is the world built for, who was the temple built for?  In the midst of the Roman census, a child will be born!  He comes into the center of our world, our reality, our lives, and our history.  All our concerns and care, the things that impress us, the power that we might fear, the mighty structures we admire, the creations we respect -- all of it comes down to that one child in the middle of time, who makes God human and thereby truly roots us in what is humane.    We begin with the parents of the Baptist, the Forerunner, who remind us that all this is really God's story, and that we are called to see God in the midst of everything we think we see and know.  We keep in mind this is happening as Israel has not seen a sign, not heard a prophet, not had a true king, for a long while.  It's not about what we expect, and it's not about what we would choose if we were to make up this story on our own.  In weakness God's strength is perfected.  As we count toward the birth of the Christ and its commemoration, let us remember that God came to the world to show us, to help us, to find our way to Him.  We're not all to be the same, as our recent readings in Matthew have taught.  But to truly learn, we each must find His way for ourselves and to help one another to do so, in all humility.   In what way does God's story unfold in you?  Zacharias illustrates what it is to deny a possibility when it is revealed by God, based on our own expectations.  Let us remember that the least likely may be the very chosen above all, and remember today, in each moment, in a prayer,  the God of small beginnings. 

Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word

 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to  city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.  The virgin's name was Mary.  And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"  But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.  Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.  And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."

Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?"  And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.  Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.  For with God nothing will be impossible."

Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord!  Let it be to me according to your word."  And the angel departed from her.

- Luke 1:26-38

Yesterday, we read that the angel said to Zacharias:  "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.  And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.  For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink.  He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.  And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.  He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."  And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this?  For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."  And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.  But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."  And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.  But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.  So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.  Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."

  Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to  city of Galilee named Nazareth . . . .   In the sixth month refers to the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy with John. 

. . . to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.  The virgin's name was Mary.   According to my study bible, the name Mary means "exalted one."  It says, "When Joseph is referred to as of the house of David, it reveals Mary also was descended from David's royal lineage, for a righteous man would usually marry within his own tribe.  Twice in this verse, and again by implication (in verse 34), Luke calls Mary a virgin."

And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"  According to the traditions of the Church, Eve brought forth children in sorrow (Genesis 3:17), while Mary, by contrast, who is the new Eve, will rejoice in bringing forth her Son; as Eve had been cursed, so now Mary is blessed.  Highly favored (charitou in the Greek) can also be translated "full of grace."   My study bible says, "Mary is the most blessed woman who has ever lived because of her complete willingness to receive God's grace, or in the words of her Son, to 'hear the word of God and keep it' (11:28)."

Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.  And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."   My study bible points out that Gabriel's announcement emphasizes two truths:  (1) you will conceive in your womb:  the Lord Jesus took His flesh -- His human nature -- from Mary herself; and (2) this is the divine Son of the Highest in Mary's womb.  Thus the one Person, Jesus, the eternal Son and Word of God, is both fully human and fully divine.  This truth was crucial in the defeat of the heretic Nestorius, who taught that Mary conceived a mere man who was later joined by the divine Son of God.  A hymn in the Eastern Church tells us, "The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin as Gabriel announces the coming of grace."

Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?"   My study bible notes that Mary's question here (How can this be?) is different from Zacharias' question (see yesterday's reading).  Mary's does not indicate a lack of faith, as Zacharias' question did.  Rather, she is "merely inquiring into the manner in which something so extraordinary would happen."

 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.  Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.  For with God nothing will be impossible."  Here is already a messianic title (Holy One - see Psalm 16:10)  and a revelation of the Holy Trinity:  The Father (the Highest). the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord!  Let it be to me according to your word."  And the angel departed from her.  My study bible tells us:  "Mary's faithful response is that of highest obedience to God.  The Incarnation is not only the work of God, but it involves the free response of mankind in the person of Mary.  Whereas Eve once disobeyed, Mary now obeys; whereas Eve closed herself to God, Mary opens to His will.  Mary's response says, 'I am a tablet; let the Writer write whatever He desires on it' (Theophylact of Bulgaria)."

So who is Mary, after all?  Let us note that without her and her assent, the story is not possible.  Well, one presumes that with God, all things are possible, as it says in today's reading.  But it is her acceptance of the word of God that makes her extraordinary.  In today's world, so many of us seem to have been given the idea that Mary is a very pliant person, in some sense eager to please.  But I think that in a very important sense, nothing could be further from the truth.  Mary is a powerfully discerning person, even at the young age in which she is portrayed here, and her obedience is to God.  Throughout the life of her Son she will be His supporter, she understands who He is.  In His youth, she and her husband Joseph are His protectors.   In the Gospel of John, (John the one who became "her son" with Jesus' death on the Cross), it is she who prompted the first miracle at the marriage at Cana, turning water into wine.  This is a woman of supreme confidence in God, of tremendous faith, and that's what we need to "take home" about Mary.  My study bible says that for two thousand years the Church has preserved the memory of the Virgin Mary as the prototype of all Christians -- the model of what we are to become in Christ.  She was truly pure (in the deepest spiritual sense of her profound faith, her whole heart) and unconditionally obedient to God.  She's a model also in that she is the first person to receive Jesus Christ.  To quote my study bible, "As Mary bore Christ in her womb physically, all Christians now have the privilege of bearing God within them spiritually."  That is, of becoming like Him by God's purifying and empowering grace and mercy.  From the earliest times, the Church has called Mary Theotokos (Greek, literally, meaning "God-bearer"), a title, as my study bible says, implying that her Son is both fully man and fully God.  Mary was the source of His human nature as His mother, yet the One she bore in her womb was also the eternal God.  For all these and so many reasons, she has traditionally been considered the "first among the saints."   Throughout the ages, people have and continue to call on Mary for divine protection (both because of her own purity of faith and as "protectress" to Christ in the world and thereby the Church).  We ask her to pray with us, and she is the one who never turns away from anyone.  She is known as the great compassionate one, the human being who suffered with her Son, and took on all His life would mean, becoming also a mother figure to His followers, His Church.  In the Orthodox tradition, she is also known as a Champion General, with an important hymn sung to her throughout Lent bearing this title for her.  She is our defender, the one who bore and protected Christ in the world.  She is also the one who led the way for all of us in her acceptance of the role given to her.   One must consider the power of inner purity, and its complete defeat of the evil one.  For this reason, she is the one who helps to deliver us from sorrows.  Through her, as Mother of God, chosen by God to bear the Son into the world, the whole of humanity is truly uplifted.  She is the example, the icon we have of faith and strength, compassion and protection, and resistance to all evils, and purity and virtue.  In a world that so needs it, let us remember her strength to help us in our faith, that she always prays with us.  She is the compassionate Mother, and the one who always points us toward her Son.  Throughout the world she is the one known for her unfailing sympathy, kindness, and tenderness.  Her humility is her strength and confidence, as she is ever dedicated to Him.  In her faith, she is the unassailable tower, the one who assists in our prayers, who never lost confidence in her Son's true identity.  She is our lady of victories over all things that distract us from the people we are called to be by Christ.  She is the one who told the stewards at the wedding at Cana, "Whatever He says, do it."  She is in this role, she is Mother to all of us, a mother to the motherless, maidservant to the One who "sets the solitary in families," the saint who helps us on our way as we follow the Son. Let us not forget Christ's unwavering and, for His contemporaries, even shocking sympathy toward the women we meet in the Gospels, and especially so in Luke.  For myself, I suppose this, too, had something to do with who His mother was, and deepens my gratitude to her.

Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John

 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.  And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.  For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink.  He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.  And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.  He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."  And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this?  For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."  And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.  But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."  And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.  But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.

So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.  Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."

- Luke 1:13-25

On Saturday, we read from the beginning of Luke's story of the Gospel, of the unfolding of the mission of Christ in the world.  There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah.  His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.  And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.  But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.  So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.  And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.  Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.  And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

  But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John."  My study bible points out that Zacharias' prayer wasn't to have a son, but for the atonement of the sins of Israel (Hebrews 9:7).  Gabriel's announcement is a revelation both that Zacharias' prayer for atonement will be answered and that Elizabeth will conceive a son.  The atonement will be announced by John, who will identify Christ as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).

And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.  For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink.  He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.  And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.  He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."   Elijah, according to my study bible, is expected to reappear from heaven as the forerunner of the second coming of the Lord (Malachi 4:5).  John the Baptist fulfills the spirit of Elijah as he is the forerunner of the Lord's first coming -- as Jesus will teach (see Matthew 11:14).

And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this?  For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."  And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.  But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."  And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.  But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.   My study bible tells us, referring to Gabriel's word to Zacharias, You will be mute:  "Zacharias is disciplined for his lack of faith, yet this also serves as proof that Gabriel's announcement is true.  The silencing of the high priest also reveals a deeper mystery.  The Messiah was expected to fulfill three crucial roles held by various people in the Old Testament:  prophet, priest, and king.  Only Jesus Christ can be said to have fulfilled all three offices perfectly.  He is the true Prophet (Deut. 18:15-18), the true King (23:3; Isaiah 9:6; Micah 5:1), and the true High Priest (Psalm 109:4; Hebrews 4:14).  In preparation for Christ's coming, God had silenced for the prophets for many years [we will speak further to this regarding verse 24 further on], and also permitted an illegitimate usurper to occupy the position of king of Judea [Herod the Great, who was not himself Jewish but called king of Judea].  Here, in the last days before Christ's coming, the high priest is also silenced.  With these three roles vacant, illegitimate, and silent, all is ready for the Son of God to be revealed as Prophet, King, and Priest."

So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.  Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."  My study bible tells us that the conception of St. John the Baptist is celebrated liturgically in the Eastern Church on September 23, confirming the sanctity of marital relations for those past childbearing years.  Since the time of Malachi, God had not sent a great prophet to Israel (see 1 Maccabees 9:27).  It says, "Silencing of the prophets served to heighten the anticipation of the Messiah and to make it all the more evident when He came.  As John the Baptist was the prophet preparing the way for Christ, he was kept hidden until Christ was conceived [Elizabeth hid herself].  Once Christ was conceived, John was revealed through the prophetic act of leaping in Elizabeth's womb."

 We see the importance of prophecy to the Gospels, and to the whole of Scripture, the whole arc of the word of God as we know it.  In today's story, Israel has been without prophets for many generations, and there is more to the story in that so many things are not as they should be.  The man on the throne who calls himself the king of Judea is not a Jew.  How can this be the place of the people of God without prophecy, and without a true king for the people?  It is a time when people are already anxiously looking for a redeemer, and the priest Zacharias prays for atonement for the people.  It is a time of expectation and need and hope.  Things are already awry, and barren in a certain sense of the nation of the people of God.  So we have Elizabeth, a woman whom God loves, who stands blameless in her heart as God knows her, but who has a reproach among the society because she has no child.  She and her husband are by now older in years.  And yet the prophecy comes, the announcement of Gabriel.  They will have not just a son, but one filled with the Holy Spirit, a holy man who neither drinks wine nor strong drink.  He will "be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.  And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.  He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.'"   The quotation is from the prophecy of Malachi (4:5-6) regarding the return of Elijah.    As we have noted above, Christ will call John the one who returns in the spirit of Elijah.  So powerful is the word of the archangel that Zacharias' doubt is enough to render him mute in the face of this extraordinary message, Gabriel's unimaginable good news.  As we noted on Saturday, an archangel bearing an announcement brings something beyond our understanding and comprehension, and represents a power that is uncontainable and unpredictable.  We have only to accept as a response; any other brings its consequences to us, so great is this power with which we interact.  It is a time of the "breaking in" of the kingdom of heaven, a time when God's power is asserting itself and revealing things to us "which will be fulfilled in their own time," as Gabriel says to Zacharias.  God is breaking into history, shaking up a situation in which there is so much that has seemed to go wrong, and this cannot happen without a kind of violence that tears the curtain between heaven and earth (as will literally happen with the curtain of the temple at Jesus' death).  John is the prophet who straddles both the Old Covenant and the New.  He is the last in the line of the Old and the first in the line of the New. He is the Forerunner (Prodromos in the Greek).  He is the herald who will bear the news before the arrival of the king, preparing the people for this event.  His life will be one of great sacrifice for this purpose.  From his conception, his gracious life will bear out this role, as we will see.

Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women!" But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will rein over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."

Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?"

And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest will overshadow you, therefore, also that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

- Luke 1:26-38

In yesterday's reading, we began at the beginning of Luke's gospel. It told the story of Zacharias and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist. Both are of a priestly lineage, and we start when it is Zacharias' time for service in the temple. His lot is to light the incense. Many people were praying outside at the time of the incense. When Zacharias was at the altar, an angel stood next to him. Zacharias was troubled, and afraid. The angel told him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John." The angel said, "He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Zacharias replied to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time." The people outside waited for Zacharias, and when he finally came out of the temple he couldn't speak -- and all the people understood he had seen a vision. Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. Elizabeth is now six months with child -- John the Baptist, her son, will be called the Forerunner, the one who comes announcing the good news of the Lord, and preparing the people for His coming. While Zacharias and Elizabeth were of priestly lineage, we read here that Joseph is of the house of David, a royal lineage.

The virgin's name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women!" But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Mary means, "exalted one." "Highly favored" can also be translated "full of grace." Mary's humility is evident in her response to such an extraordinary greeting of great praise.

Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will rein over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." As Zacharias as prepared for the birth of John the Baptist, who will be "in the spirit and power of Elijah," so Mary is prepared for her Son. This is, indeed, an extraordinary description. Again, the angel says to Mary, as was said to Zacharias, "Do not be afraid."

Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" Luke's emphasis is very clear, elaborated, and precise. Twice we have been told she is a virgin, and here she asks distinctly the question that must be asked!

And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest will overshadow you, therefore, also that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God." My study bible points out that here, again, we have a repetition for emphasis: Holy Spirit and the power of the Highest are synonymous. The Son of God indicates a divine title for this child. What becomes clear in this verse is a blending of the divine and the human, beautifully composed here by the evangelist, in the poetry of the gospel. The child will be born through the interaction of the divine and human. Hidden here in this verse is also the power of the Trinity: The Holy Spirit, the Son of God, and the Highest (God the Father). While the message is clear, we don't know exactly how this happens, just the mystery of this intersection of both. The way the description reads, that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and the power of the Highest will overshadow her, reminds me of Moses being overshadowed by the cloud on Mt. Sinai.

Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." Again, we have emphasis. Mary is told that barren Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age -- the power of God is at work in the lives of human beings, great things are happening. "For with God nothing will be impossible." In yesterday's reading, Gabriel chastised Zacharias for his failure to receive the grace given him, the good news. He said, "You did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time." Here we have a future tense again, a sense of events that are about to begin and will be continually unfolding: "For with God nothing will be impossible." There in these words is the implication of faith, and patience, and abiding, as things will be fulfilled in their own time, and with God nothing will be impossible.

Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. Mary's response once again exemplifies her humility before God; she accepts the grace that has come to her. My study bible points out that Mary is honored not only because she was chosen by God to bear the Son, but also because she herself responded to grace with faith. Without such response with faith, this story could not unfold as it has. We have both the interaction of the divine and human at work, and for this reason, Mary is honored among human beings. My study bible says, "The Incarnation of the Son of God is not only the work of the Trinity, but also the work of the will and the faith of the Virgin."

Let us consider Mary's faithful response, and ponder what it is to be offered such grace. Human beings must accept. The contrast in both stories of Zacharias and Mary give us this truth. We form a synergy in faith, an active working hand in hand with God, with the divine. Grace also asks of us our "yes" to its working in us and through us. We must accept. Let Mary be the model, then, for all of us. She is the human being who accepted, with grace, with humility, with faith, the great mystery of what she is called into here. One cannot imagine the pain of what she will go through as the events of Jesus' life and Passion unfold, nor the extraordinary and overwhelming joy she will find in her Son. Let us remember her love, inseparable from her faith. We, the faithful, also share in that love, that she bore first, and for all of us. Without her yes, we don't know what would have happened. With Mary, let us accept that "with God, nothing will be impossible." She is our shining and stunning example of a human being receiving grace with faith: "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." She echoes the words of the Old Testament figures, "Here I am, Lord!"

Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John

Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zecharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall rink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time." And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless. So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.

Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."

- Luke 1:1-25

As we move closer to Christmas, the readings shift. In the gospel of Matthew, we have reached the point (in Saturday's reading) in which Jesus prepares His disciples for the time in which we now live, the time in which we await His return. He has promised the disciples that He will return. He has told several parables, teaching them watchfulness, expectation, and what it is to be good servants in the Master's absence. In Saturday's reading, He spoke not another parable, but of the Judgment that will happen upon His return. Like sheep and goats, all will be separated -- to His right hand and left. What is the criterion? "I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me." Then the righteous will ask, "When did we do these things?" And the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me."

Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. Today the lectionary takes us to the beginning of Luke's gospel. Luke makes it clear that His intent is to write down the things heard directly from eyewitnesses and ministers of the word as they were delivered "to us" -- to those in the early Church. Theophilus was a prominent Gentile who had received Christian instruction. Luke's gospel is therefore a "testimony to the testimony" of the eyewitnesses, the disciples who had known Jesus directly.

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. Luke, making a complete record, is the only evangelist who teaches us about the birth of John the Baptist. We note that both Zacharias and Elizabeth come from the lineage of the priests of Israel. They are both "blameless" and "righteous" people. However, they suffer socially: Elizabeth is barren. Over and over again, the Old Testament tells us of such women, who become the mothers of great holy figures: Sarah, Rebekah, Hannah, and others. Their advanced age, their state of righteousness despite social "reproach," is a testimony to their faith.

So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. My study bible notes: "Each priest was assigned to a division. There were 24 divisions in all, each serving a week at a time by rotation. [Zacharias is of the division of Abijah.] The responsibilities of the priests in the division were decided by lot."

And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zecharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall rink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." The first thing we notice is that "fear fell upon Zacharias" and the angel told him, "Do not be afraid." This will be important to note a little further along in this story. From the angel's words, we understand that Zacharias has prayed for a son. The name John means "the grace of God." John will be a special child, set apart for the Lord. He will become a prophet like the great prophets of the Old Testament. Jesus will call him the greatest among the prophets. He has a mission, to prepare the people for the Lord. As my study bible notes, "Elijah, one of the greatest prophets of Israel, was expected to reappear from heaven in order to anoint the Messiah."

And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time." And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless. So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. My study bible notes, "Zacharias' question indicates a lack of complete faith in God's promise. Compare this with Abram's response when he was promised a son" 'he believed in the Lord" (Gen. 15:3-6). . . . Losing his speech serves both as discipline for Zacharias's unbelief and as a sign of the truth of Gabriel's announcement." What we note in Zacharias's fearful and troubled approach is a hint of something we commented on in the readings from last week: the fearful servant who his his talents instead of expanding them and creating yield from them. So much of the stories in both Old and New Testaments are illustrations about faith, and especially our capacity for faith. Human beings are not perfect -- rather it is a capacity for a faith relationship with God that seems to bear out the holy figures that shape this religious history. Often, the figures of the Bible bear out the growth of such faith and the relationship to God. The failure to receive such grace may spur a rebuke, correction, or temporary setback, if only to work to instruct and build this relationship. Gabriel "stands in the presence of God." Therefore His message is God's word to Zacharias. "Angel" means messenger in the Greek. John the Baptist will also be a messenger (in icons of the Eastern Church, he is often depicted with wings to denote this identity). And so, of course, is this gospel, a testimony to the word of the messengers who were the apostles.

Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people." Elizabeth is thus blessed, and her "reproach among people" is taken away. We are careful to note that faith does not depend upon outcomes, and the opinions "among people." John the Baptist is a blessing (as we may consider all children), born by the grace of God.

God's love transcends all things, and so, as in this story, what God has given us may also be consecrated back to God. John the Baptist is truly a firstborn, one who will be in fact "set apart" for the things of God. He will be the greatest among the prophets, and come "in the spirit and power of Elijah" to prepare the people for the Lord. He will be a towering figure among his own people and in his own time, widely revered as a holy man. But he will also suffer for the Lord. As we begin these readings leading to the day we celebrate the birth of Christ, let us consider today the announcement of Gabriel, the good news of the gospel. Let us remember all the "ministers of the word" that has been delivered to us, and think of the message of John the Baptist. Before his birth, the great announcement came, directly from the extraordinary messenger, Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. He brings Zacharias "glad tidings" and was sent (the root meaning of the word "apostle") for this purpose. So over and over again, the gospels bear witness to this message, these glad tidings, as we begin over again the story of Christ's birth. In the Greek, there is one word Gabriel uses to describe his mission: "evangelizo" (εὐαγγελίζω) -- to bring good news. Let us remember the roots of the gospel, as we live again the report, direct from the one who stands in the presence of God, of the glad tidings we celebrate this week. As Elizabeth and Zacharias, can we grasp the blessing given to each of us?

With God nothing will be impossible

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

- Luke 1:26-38

In yesterday's reading, we were given a reading from Luke's first chapter, about Zacharias and Elizabeth. Zacharias and Elizabeth were the parents of John the Baptist, and we read about John's conception. Elizabeth was barren, and both parents considerably aged. Zacharias, from a priestly lineage, took his turn to burn the incense at the hour of incense in the temple. While the multitude prayed outside, an angel, Gabriel, appeared to Zacharias. Gabriel told him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John." Elizabeth's public "reproach" will be taken away from her - but first, Zacharias hesitates in responding to the announcement of Gabriel.

In today's reading, Luke takes us to another annunciation by Gabriel, "who stands in the presence of God." Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. My study bible notes here: "Mary (lit.,"exalted one") is betrothed to Joseph, a man of royal lineage, of the house (family) of David. Luke says twice for emphasis that Mary is a virgin." The "sixth month" is the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy with John the Baptist. These families are already tied as kindred, but the reality of the Spirit creates deeper and greater ties. Gabriel appears to both women. In yesterday's reading, we were told that Gabriel "stands in the presence of God." It is important that we understand the present reality of such an appearance in our world - a holy reality interpenetrating earthly life.

And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" A note here reads, "Highly favored (Gr. charitoo) can also be translated 'full of grace.' Mary is greeted with an exalted salutation because, in her destiny to be the mother of Christ, she is the most blessed woman of all time. In accord with Luke's picture of her, Mary is praised in the Orthodox Church as being surrounded with divine grace and shining with holiness." Mary's great blessing is to be the bearer of Christ, of the Anointed One. Like all spiritual blessings, it is at the same time a responsibility to carry with one into the world - not necessarily bringing great power, luxury, or ease, but a gift from God befitting her capacity for its reception with love.

But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." Mary is immediately troubled - what does this mean? She makes an immediate connection, a receptivity to Gabriel. She doesn't doubt herself, doesn't doubt the presence of the angel, but there is an immediate receipt, an understanding. My study bible comments here, "What a description of the expected Messiah!" What kind of expectations does this set up for Mary? As Jesus' life plays out, as we read in the Gospels of what happens in His ministry through His persecution and death on the Cross, how does Mary understand what has happened, and the words of Gabriel? What faith is required for that?

Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. A note here reads, "Holy Spirit and power of the Highest are synonymous; this is a case of repetition for emphasis. Holy One is a messianic title. That He is to be born of Mary demonstrates Christ's human nature. But that the Virgin will conceive and bear the Son of God reveals the divine nature of Christ. We note especially the reference to the Holy Trinity: God the Father (the Highest), the Son, and the Holy Spirit." Mary's question is not a refusal of the news, but a real question. She is engaged with Gabriel, in dialogue. Repeatedly we read in Scripture that this is what is asked of us from the Holy - an engagement, a dialogue, a willingness to be in relationship. It is the power of the Highest that will "overshadow" Mary, and the Holy Spirit that will come upon her; through her and her "engagement" with the holy will be born, therefore, the One called the Son of God.

Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. Gabriel begins to teach Mary about Elizabeth's marvelous conception, and gives her these words that will be echoed later in another form by Jesus, "For with God nothing will be impossible." Mary accepts, so much and in so many ways. A note here reads, "Mary's faithful response makes her the highest model of obedience to God. The Incarnation of the Son of God is not only the work of the Trinity, but also the work of the will and the faith of the Virgin. Therefore, the Virgin Mary is honored not only because God chose her, or because she bore the Son of God in the flesh, but also because she herself chose to believe and obey God firmly."

"For with God nothing will be impossible." These are tremendous words to ponder today. I wonder what it means to each one of us. So often, in prayer, I have entered into a dialogue with God only to expect or to wish upon God a certain outcome for myself. Often, these outcomes I'd like take the forms of what is expected, what I understand as good, or the best. But with Mary's great and astounding blessing, we wonder what the outcome is. How could she have predicted this blessing would take the form that it does in the eventual ministry and death of her Son? Although today we rejoice at the impending birth of Christ in our readings, I can't help but feel that this tremendous blessing teaches us so much more about what it is to be engaged with the Holy, with the Highest, and the Holy Spirit, and the Son. A blessing from the Holy confers with it the highest honor - and at the same time, perhaps, the most solemn of responsibilities. Can we carry forward our blessing in God's name, and seeking God's will in all things? Can we accept the outcomes that may not be "our own" - in our image of what is good? Let us remember that blessings, like this great light bursting into our world with its fire like that of a great sun, often take the forms which are surprising and stunning to us -- that light and knowledge and understanding may come in packages we would never have expected. Do we have the grace, like Mary, to see through it all? Do we have the faith that gives us the right sight, and hearing? "With God nothing will be impossible" means that we enter a realm that is not our own, in which anything can happen, and any and all uses for all of our worldly experiences may be encountered. We engage with the holy -- can we see its great light? Are we ready for all the possibilities, and the outcomes that will astound us? God will use all that we have and are for God's purposes, and it may be surprising what great things come from a humble presence, what rejoicing God can create through even the sad realities in our world. "For with God nothing will be impossible." Are you ready for that journey and the burning fire He brings with His birth and His incarnation into our world? Could each of us bear that blessing as will Mary? No wonder Gabriel tells her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"