by Deacon Lynn Waldeck
“And 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 bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to 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.” Luke 1:30-33
Bible scholars say that Mary was very young, a teenager, at the time. Imagine how strange this encounter must have been for her. Here was a simple girl from a small village, being approached by an angel standing before her saying not to be afraid. I’d be afraid if an angel approached me but then the angel tells her she has found favor with God. Then is told she is pregnant, with God’s son no less!
I usually think how confused and frighten Mary must have been. I didn’t think about how the angel must have comforted and calmed Mary. She heard the words that God found favor with her. God finds favor with all of us. We need to remember this all year not just at Advent and Christmas when we read this passage more often. How blessed we are that God loves and finds favor in all of us.