The Gospel for Saturday of the third week of Advent is taken from Luke 1, chapter 26 to the 38th verse. In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you. But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

Behold, he will conceive in your womb and bear a son. And you shall name him Jesus. He 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, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever. And of his kingdom there will be no end. But Mary said to the angel, how can this be since I have no relations with a man?

The angel said to her in reply, the Holy Spirit will come upon you. The power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative has also conceived a son in her old age. And this is the sixth month for her who is called barren, for nothing will be impossible for God. Mary 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. Of all the stories in scripture of miraculous births, none is more important and more significant than the one that you have just heard about. In this gospel, Mary, chosen before to be the mother of God, is told by an angel that she will become pregnant. Her response is, not, this can’t be. This doesn’t make sense.

Her response is only, how will I do this with you? How will it happen? Tell me what it will be like. And then the angel makes it clear. Miraculous infusion of life into her womb. And this life is going to save the world.

And she understands, I know on some level the importance of this. And her humble response, I will do whatever you want. I am a handmaid of you. O Lord, bless me with the ability to do this. She’s the model of acceptance, of grace. After your reflection, I will close with a prayer.

Closing prayer. Father, as we near this Christmas season, we know that we are invited to imagine this event happening within each of us. A gift is being given to us, and we need to be in that same disposition as Mary of saying, how can I be who you need me to be in my family, in my friends, in my circle, at my work. Who can I be for you to make you present to them? It’s an enormous gift and a beautiful, wonderful way of life. And we ask this in Jesus name, amen.