Luke 1:26-38 (The Annunciation)

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him 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 ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."

Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"

The angel said to her, "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 holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God." Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.

Many people in the days of Joseph and Mary considered it quite normal for God to communicate through dreams and visions. It is just that Mary’s vision and Joseph’s dream have become most famous. This fame has made these experiences seem unique, and we recall them assuming that we will never have similar encounters. It is true that no-one is going to receive the same message! But maybe we have lost something important by thinking of Mary and Joseph as totally different from anyone else who has ever lived. Yes, there is only one Mary and only one Joseph, but there can be many dreams and many visions. It is good when we allow God to communicate with us in every way possible whether it is a gentle nudge or a bolt out of the blue. 

If the spiritual experience of receiving a message from God appeals to us, then we need to be aware of two things: First of all, we need to be firmly rooted in a trusted Christian fellowship where any divine message can be shared and tested. Secondly, we need to be open to the consequences of this closer communion with God. 

Once Mary had received her message from God she sought the company and support of her relative, Elizabeth. Within the safety of that friendship Mary gained time to come to terms with what she had been told. And no doubt Elizabeth offered a good listening ear. After all, she also had experienced something similar when John the Baptist had been conceived within her. 

Finally, Mary’s famous response to the archangel Gabriel was. "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." It is best not to dabble with dreams and visions unless we can say something that at least approximates to what Mary said. 

Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem is nearly complete. What a journey!

O God of Elizabeth and Mary, you visited your servants with news of the world's redemption in the coming of the Saviour. Make our hearts leap with joy, and fill our mouths with songs of praise, that we may announce glad tidings of peace, and welcome the Christ in our midst. Amen.

Dear Father of all, help us to see the world through your eyes, without dividing lines, to see just land and water, mountains, trees and skies. Help us to lay aside our class and skin, our background and race, to know our shared humanity, to see a brother or sister in every face. Help us to wear forgiveness, to lay down our pride and pain, to seek first to understand. Lord may peace and reconciliation reign. Help us to feel your compassion so we can freely forgive. May we weave new threads of grace and cause seeds of hope to live. Amen.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

(Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.)