“And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus” (31).
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her” (38).
And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (45).
These three verses provide insight into the Virgin Mary.
The first verse (31) is the words of Gabriel when he told Mary that she would bear a son. We don’t have to invest deeply in the thought experiment to realize this announcement would cause some complications in her life. However, we never see her refuse the Lord’s calling on her life.
Mary’s response to the announcement of her role in God’s plan is instructive for us: “I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” There is no indication that she felt anything but honored. We don’t see her think through the implications or the hardships that may arise. She simply says, “Okay. I’m in.”
Finally, we see Elizabeth’s description of Mary as one “who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” She simply believed the Lord.
What an example of simple faith. Mary 1) heard the Lord’s plan, 2) said, “I’m in,” and 3) believed the Lord’s plan. That spirit doesn’t mean she had an easy life. It means she had a blessed life.
Father, please help me have the spirit of Mary. Amen.
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