Modeling Mary: Our Pilgrimage of Faith

The Angel Declared Unto Mary

At the Annunciation, the Angel Gabriel’s first word to Mary was “Rejoice,” a word used by Isaiah, Zephaniah, and Zechariah as they spoke about the coming of God to Earth. Gabriel announced to Mary that, through the Holy Spirit, she would conceive a son, to be called Jesus, which means God saves. Furthermore, the angel declared that Jesus would inherit the throne of David, his father, to rule over the house of Jacob and that his kingdom would last forever. 

Who can comprehend a world without end? Though Mary was foretold these things would occur, the nature of Christ’s kingdom and the way in which he would be received by the world was not revealed to her in that moment. Pope John Paul II reflected on these events in his encyclical, teaching that Mary could not have known all that would be in both time and eternity.

Mary’s response to Gabriel’s message was freely given, an expression of her whole person: “I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38). These words echoed those expressed by Abraham, Moses, and the people Israel when they ratified the covenant. These words can be found sprinkled throughout the Old Testament as, for example, when the psalmist proclaims, “See; I come with an inscribed scroll written upon me. I delight to do your will” (40:8–9)—words also attributed to Christ in the Letter to the Hebrews (10:7).