Holy Interruption

The angel Gabriel went to Mary and said,

 “Greetings, you who are highly favored! 

The Lord is with you.”

Luke 1:28

The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary saying, "Greetings favored one, the Lord is with you." Knowing of God's presence helps Mary understand this holy interruption. She doesn't know why an angel would disrupt her daily life since angels appear and change things.  Look what happened to Hagar. And how about the angel appearing to Moses in a burning bush. These people's lives were dramatically changed. Would her life be dramatically changed too? She probably asked herself—Am I favored? Is God with me? What will this involve?

Gabriel informs Mary she will conceive, bear a son and name him Jesus. The angel describes this child's identity and destiny. Yet Mary responds saying, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word."

The story of Mary and Gabriel doesn't include the realities of the ancient world. Mary lives in a fishing village where she cleans, slices, and prepares fish. Her back aches carrying water from the well. She plants and gathers the harvest. She gathering grain and kneads it for the evening meal.

 Mary's life wouldn't be easy because village folks ridiculed and isolated unwed mothers. She still had to live up to village duties, homemaking, and marriage. She probably felt shame and self-doubt which impacted her mental well-being. Yet in all these changes, there was one thing she knew from Gabriel's holy interruption, "The Lord is with you."

Mary's story assures us God is with us. Thinking about this chaotic, unprecedented  year, Gabriel's words to Mary are true for us—God is with us. As God visits an unsuspecting young girl named Mary so God visits us. The uncertainties of life need to be seen with this conviction—God is with us. As Mary was impacted by the realities of her day, we, too, are impacted by the social challenges of 21st century America. And God is with us. Gabriel reminds, assures, and comforts us—God is with us.