December 6

I try to put myself in Mary’s place and imagine my reaction to Gabriel’s message.  A young, virgin, unwed girl is told by a stranger that she will give birth to a son who will be Son of the Most High and a king on the throne of David.  I believe that my reaction would be more like the hiker who is walking along the edge of a cliff, slips and falls.  Miraculously he is able to grab a root sticking out from the cliff, which stops his fall, but he is dangling hundreds of feet above the valley floor with no way out of his predicament.  He starts to yell “Help, help, can anybody hear me?!”  A booming voice answers and says “This is God, I hear you and will save you.  All you have to do is have faith and let go of the branch”.  The man hanging from the root thinks for a moment, and then yells “Can anyone else hear me?!”  

How much faith did Mary have to trust what was being told to her?  Maybe there wasn’t as much cynicism at that time, but this, to me, is almost unbelievable. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, please give us the faith of Mary.