Tuesday, December 12, 2006

I am the handmaid of the Lord

In the sixth month
the angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
to a virgin
betrothed to a man
whose name was Joseph, of the house of David;
and the virgin's name was Mary.

And he came to her and said,
"Hail, O favored one,
the Lord is with you!"

But she was greatly troubled at the saying,
and considered in her mind
what sort of greeting this might be.

And the angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
And behold,
you will conceive in your womb
and bear a son,
and you shall call his name 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 father David,
and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever;
and of his kingdom there will be no end."

And Mary said to the angel,
"How shall this be,
since I know not man?"

And 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 called holy,
the Son of God.
And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth
in her old age has also conceived a son;
and this is the sixth month
with her who was called barren.
For with God nothing will be impossible."

And Mary said,
"Behold,
I am the handmaid of the Lord;
let it be to me according to your word."


And the angel departed from her.

(Luke 1:6-38)