Let us give Mary more credit

We sometimes tend to think of Mary as a young innocent woman who was overwhelmed by the presence of an angel and really had no choice in the end but to say “yes”. What I think we need to do is read today’s gospel text, from Luke 1:26-38, more carefully. The opening line simply sets the context. An angel, whose name is Gabriel, was sent by God. He was sent to a town in Galilee called Nazareth; he was sent to a virgin named Mary, a virgin who was betrothed to a man by the name of Joseph of the royal line of King David. The angel speaks first and says, “Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.” Now the next line tells us that Mary wasn’t terrified by the sudden vision of an angel. No, and this is important, the text says, “she was deeply disturbed by these words” - these words, not by the angel - and pondered “what this greeting could mean”. She can think for herself and what she thinks is something like, “Hello, what is this all about and where is it going to lead me?” So, Gabriel has to take a different tack. His greeting didn’t quite work. So he has to ease Mary’s mind and explain what the message is. But even that doesn’t work! Mary comes back at him and asks, “What! How can all that you have said, about conceiving a child who will be called Son of the Most High, come about? After all, I am a virgin.” So Gabriel has to explain the process of conception whereby she would be overshadowed by the power of the Most High. He goes even further and reminds her of the news that she had probably already heard. Her elderly cousin had conceived a child. This was proof that, as Gabriel argued, “nothing is impossible to God.” That would have sealed it for Mary and she was smart enough to understand the enormity of the challenge. Instead of fainting like someone who would be overwhelmed by this request from on High, she replies, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me.” And the angel got out of the way very quickly because what was about to happen was way beyond his league! So let us give our blessed mother, Mary, more credit and thank God that she “cottoned on” pretty quickly to what was happening around her and by saying “yes” guaranteed our salvation. And don’t forget to say a word of thanks to our blessed mother as well.