Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate

 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.  And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.  The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?"  And he answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?  So then, they are no longer two but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."  They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"  He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.  And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."

His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry."   But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given:  For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake.  He who is able to accept it, let him accept it."

- Matthew 19:1-12

In recent readings, Jesus has been instructing the disciples regarding conduct and leadership in the future Church (see readings from Wednesday and Thursday).  In yesterday's reading, we were told that Peter came to Jesus and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?  Up to seven times?"  Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.  Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.  And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.  But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.  The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'  Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.  But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'  So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'  And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.  So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.  Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant!  I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.  Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'  And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.  So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.  And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.  The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?"  And he answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?  So then, they are no longer two but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."  They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"  He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.  And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."   My study bible says here that the basis of the Pharisees' test is Deuteronomy 24:1-4.  God's condescension -- God's allowance for human weakness -- does not override the original principle of permanent monogamous marriage as revealed in Genesis 1 and 2.  Jesus speaks with authority, and adds His own clear prohibition against divorce (see also Malachi 2:15-16).  In the ancient Church, the permissible reasons for divorce were expanded to include threat to a spouse's or child's life, and desertion.  But in all cases, the spiritual tragedy of such a situation was clearly acknowledged.

His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry."   But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given:  For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake.  He who is able to accept it, let him accept it."  My study bible notes here that Christ steers the disciples toward an understanding of the holiness of virginity.   This isn't a rejection of marriage, but rather a special calling for those to whom it has been given.  Eunuchs were men who had been castrated, either by birth defect, disease, or mutilation.  They were often employed until quite recent times to guard women of nobility.  But Jesus uses this term figuratively for those who freely choose celibacy for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.  (Consecrated virginity is not to be confused with self-mutilation, which was condemned at the First Ecumenical Council in 325.)  See also 1 Corinthians 7:7, 25-38.

We are given what is still difficult advice regarding marriage:  monogamy is preferable and the intention of marriage in the sight of God.  Divorce is an allowance for our own fallibility and, yes, sinfulness.   But marriage, in the traditional sight of the Church, is also a way to grow toward God-likeness, specially-made for our human imperfection.  In growing in love, in learning to love, we give of ourselves, we make sacrifices, we give up things our selfishness might rather hold onto -- and we grow in likeness to the graciousness of God.  This is a picture of marriage as sacrament, part of a holy mystery of the Church.  It allows for our imperfections, and a grace-permeated marriage is one in which love -- as something we are always growing into -- becomes the point.  If we look at the characteristic fruit of the Spirit given to us by St. Paul:  love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control -- we see that although he lists love first, they are all aspects of love.  We can learn kindness in a marriage and its importance in the ways in which we treat a partner.  Goodness becomes important in terms of what we cherish in one another, and what we bring to the union.  Joy is possible for us in realizing the blessings of love.  Peace can be what we find in a partner who loves us and wants what is best for us -- and in our own capacity for love of our partner.  Faithfulness is possible even where we acknowledge our imperfections, as love rejoins even brokenness when we make a mutual effort.  Gentleness and self-control are indispensable to learning how to make a marriage work.  Let us note that Jesus is speaking in a context where initiating divorce was only possible for men, and He is mainly addressing men here.  Therefore, what He calls hard-heartedness is an ill-consideration for women and their position in the context of His time; any way one looks at it, women were of lower social stature than men in a number of ways.  But this isn't a political speech:  it is a spiritual teaching, and it is all about love that transcends everything else and is given by God.  That the two shall become one flesh is a statement of total union.  Historically, the Church (especially in the Eastern Tradition) has come to see both marriage and celibacy in devotion to God as two ways to union and faith.  In both cases, a devotion to God, a growing likeness to our Creator, is the point, for love is of God (1 John 4:7).  Faith gives to marriage a particular dimension that works in mysterious ways to help us find those fruit noted by St. Paul, to overcome hardship, to share those difficulties, to sacrifice for love and all its blessings.  In all cases, it is Christ we turn to for help and guidance, and to create meaning and value for all.  Let us keep in mind St. Paul's word:  All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful (1 Corinthians 6:12, 10:23).  There is no condemnation here, but there is what is best for us.  Abuse can destroy what God puts together, a spiritual tragedy.  Let us understand what God gives to us.

Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, "God with us"

 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows:  After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.  Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.  But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.  And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."   So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,"
which is translated, "God with us."

Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son.  And he called His name JESUS.

- Matthew 1:18-25

Yesterday, we read that after having been told by the angel Gabriel that she would conceive a Son, and also of Elizabeth's pregnancy, Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.  And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.   Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!  But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.  Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord."   And Mary said:  "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.   For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.  For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.  And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.  He has shown strength with His arm;  He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.  He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly.  He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.  He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy,  As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever."  And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.

 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows:  After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.  Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.   We look closely at this description of Joseph as a "just" man.  The word in Greek means "just" and it can also mean "righteous."  We ask ourselves what kind of righteousness do we see in Joseph.  My study bible says that Joseph's righteousness consisted of a mercy that transcends the Law (Hosea 6:6).  He showed mercy by his unwillingness to expose her supposed sin, although he was obliged by the Law to do so.  This is an example of the righteousness Jesus will espouse in His teachings.  Joseph is called Mary's husband, but the Bible calls engaged couples husband and wife before marriage (Rachel, for example, was called the wife of Jacob before marriage because of their engagement -- see Genesis 29:21; also Deuteronomy 22:23-24).   So, Joseph is called the husband and Mary, and she is called his wife further on in today's passage.  By tradition in the Church, Joseph is remembered as the Betrothed.  He was, in an important sense, both guardian and husband to Mary.  

But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit."  My study bible points out here that the angel (or "messenger") of the Lord dispels Joseph's false reasoning by announcing what is utterly unreasonable:  the pregnancy of Mary is by the Holy Spirit.  The virginity of Mary points us to the divinity of Christ.

 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."   So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:  "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," 
which is translated, "God with us."  My study bible notes for us that Matthew repeatedly uses the formula that it might be fulfilled which was spoken (2:15, 23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 26:56; 27:35).   This underscores, it says, the intervention of God throughout history, demonstrates the continuity between Old and New Covenants, and indicates the beginning of the new creation.  Jesus' conception fulfills Isaiah 7:14, in which we are told that a virgin would conceive and bear a Son.  The One conceived in Mary is not a new Person coming into existence, but rather the eternal Son of God "using her womb as His throne," my study bible says.  Both the virginal conception by means of the Holy Spirit and the name Immanuel, God with us, are declarations of Christ's divinity.  JESUS is the Greek version of the name Joshua, meaning "God Saves" or "Savior."  A Savior, in the language of the Old Testament, can also be understood as judge or deliverer, and a redeemer.  We recall Joshua as the first to cross the Jordan and enter the Promised Land; he is a "type" of Christ.  Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Covenant, who brings in the New.

 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son.  And he called His name JESUS.  Just as Mary is obedient to God, so also is Joseph.  It's important to understand that the word "till" doesn't imply anything that happened after this event; rather, in the Greek, the word indicates what happened "up until" the event, and frequently implies the same situation continues after the event.  The Church, from its beginning, has proclaimed the "ever-virgin" quality of Mary.   Jesus is firstborn; again this word means no child was born before Jesus -- but does not necessarily indicate subsequent children.  "Firstborn" is traditionally known as primary heir and recipient of blessings; thus a position that exists regardless of whether or not there are siblings.  My study bible tells us that Jesus is also firstborn over all creation, and also firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:15, 18). 

We can write of the "ever-virgin" character of Mary (which implies much more than a physical state but also teaches us about her spiritual state), and the miraculous quality of this event of the birth of Jesus, or Immanuel, "God with us."  But for my part, my mind goes to the quiet quality of this scene, somewhere out of the way, so to speak, the birth of Christ in a place without fanfare and seemingly as one of the "least of these."    If we think of the quietness and intimacy of this birth, we have just three people involved:  Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus Himself, the Lord Incarnate.   What stands out in the quietness of the three is the intimacy of the relationship to God in each of these parents, and through the Son how God is tied in to everything in our world, and into each of our own lives.  Mary and Joseph are both told the great news before Jesus' birth, and both are obedient, even in the "quietness" and intimacy of the great news that at this point hardly anyone else knows.  Their humility gives us a truly holy quality, not borne out in distractions of pomp or display, but instead in just the pure truth of what is happening, the reality of "God with us."  God works in each of them, in their faith, and the vast work of the Spirit makes each event possible.  This great good news isn't for the pomp and circumstance of the world.  Rather it is also for each one of us, in our own intimate relationships with God, and it is "for the life of the world," because all the world is sanctified through His presence, this birth, "God with us."  Everything in our world is blessed through His birth and His life, and all the elements of our lives are so blessed as to become fruitful via His Gospel.  Our very water is sanctified for baptism, wheat (the grain of the field) becomes His body for our Eucharist, wine (fruit of the vine) His blood, given for us as eternal sign of God's steadfast love and mercy.  This is what we focus on.  God takes on our flesh, our life in this world, and sanctifies and blesses all of it for each one of us.  These two figures, Mary and Joseph, are holy because of their love and obedience to God.  But they are examples for us all, for each of our lives, each in our own way.  The birth of the Child ties together our lives, their lives, the lives of all those who came before, and every single element in our world.   After all, the others who will share in the news of this birth, we're told, are shepherds in the field with their flocks, the angels who announce the joyful news, and the animals symbolizing all of creation in a Bethlehem manger.  We also have a sign of the whole created cosmos in the star that will guide the three Magi to Jesus.  Let us be humble enough to see Him still as "God with us," in our own quiet time to understand, even in the midst of all the celebrations.

Henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me

 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.  And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.  Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!  But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.  Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord."

And Mary said:

"My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever."

And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.

- Luke 1:39-48a, 48b-56

Yesterday, we read that in the sixth month (of Elizabeth's pregnancy) 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.

  Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.  And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.   Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!  But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.  Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord."   The leaping of the babe, John the Baptist, in Elizabeth's womb is considered to be a sign of the return of prophecy to Israel.  We remember no prophet had been seen in Israel since the time of Malachi; it was considered a kind of reproach, marking the longing for the Messiah.  Then Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, speaks words of spiritual truth -- venerating Mary as one blessed among women just as Gabriel had in yesterday's reading.   She calls Mary by a rightful title in the Church, the mother of My Lord.  This is seen as a confession; the babe just formed in Mary's womb is already understood as both fully human and fully divine:  the Lord was another title for God.  This image of new life being fully recognized as incarnate Christ, and Mary as mother of My Lord, gives us a picture of the Person already present in the womb, and informs the Church's point of view on the sanctity of life from earliest inception.

And Mary said:  "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.   For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.  For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.  And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.  He has shown strength with His arm;  He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.  He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly.  He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.  He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy,  As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever."  And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.  Mary's song is called the "Magnificat," after its first word in the Latin version.  My study bible says it comes from the heart of Mary, inspired by the song of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1-10).   The song prophesies that all generations will call me blessed -- as the Church continues to venerate Mary today.  Mary gives credit fully to God for the Incarnation, and not to herself, expressing, as my study bible puts it, "both deep humility and the knowledge that God is the source of all grace."   Through the Incarnation, Mary's song declares, God reigns over all, from generation to generation.

Mary's song gives us a big clue about Christ and about the power of God present in Him.  It is a statement, a prophesy, about a power that turns things upside down, stands worldly power on its head, and that is properly represented in Mary, who as a figure is entirely humble and yet remains a source of strength for millions, called throughout Church history a refuge and a strong tower, considered to be the one who overturned the sin of Eve her ancestor.  As such, she's the ultimate expression of what a human being can be; it's her "Yes" that makes way for everything else.  God's power, she reveals (as did Hannah), has scattered those proud in the imagination of their hearts,  put down the mighty from their thrones, exalted the lowly, filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.  All these things are made possible, glorified, via the Incarnation, through her role, her "Yes" to the grace presented to her.  God works through the humble, but humble does not mean lacking in strength, or confidence, or faith:  Mary has all of these.  It's the power of her faith and of her discernment that teaches us something about where strength really is, and what is possible for a human being.  We shouldn't forget also that Jesus' human nature will be taken from this woman, and it seems to me that His powerful respect for and inclusion of women in His ministry speaks very strongly for her influence, and the kindness of His male guardian, Joseph.  It is Mary who shows a true understanding of God's power at work in her song which we read today, Mary who prompts her Son at the wedding at Cana, the first sign in John's Gospel, and teaches the servants present also, "Whatever He says to you, do it."  She said "Yes," and she teaches us all to do the same; in that sense, she is the tower of strength, the fortress of faith, the image of human being for all of us, men and women, from generation to generation.  What is important is that we understand her great blessing; that she is the "highly favored one" precisely because of all of these qualities that come from spiritual depth, a wealth open to each of us, even (or perhaps, especially) the most humble.  What is the power of faith?  That is what she shows us, an image for each of us to consider and to venerate.

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.