Announcement of the Birth of Jesus
Lk 1:26-38
26The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.31Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 33and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”34But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” 35And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 36And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; 37for nothing will be impossible for God.” 38Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
You have found favor with God. Mary is called queen because of her divine maternity. She who has found favor with God has conceived in her womb through the power of the Holy Spirit and given birth to the Son of God. She is queen because her unhesitating yes to the message delivered by the angel Gabriel has made possible Jesus’ redemptive mission. She is queen, therefore, because she shares in the kingship of Jesus.
Bodily assumed into heaven and crowned as queen of heaven and earth, Mary rules with love. She wages neither war nor battle but shows compassion and love, charity and peace.
As disciples of Jesus, we share in his mission. The reward bestowed on Mary will also be ours. It is the promise to the Church, the people of God.
“To give worthy praise to the Lord’s mercy,
we unite ourselves with your Immaculate Mother,
for then our hymn will be more pleasing to you,
because she is chosen from among men and angels” (St. Faustina).
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