The angel Gabriel was sent
by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth , to a maiden betrothed to a man
named Joseph, of the family of David. The name of the maiden was Mary.
The angel appeared to her
and said :
“Hail, you who are highly
favoured ! The Lord is with you; blessed are you among women. ”
And when she saw him, she was
troubled at what he had said and wondered to herself what this greeting could
mean. Then the angel continued :
“Fear not, Mary, for you
have found favour with God. You shall bring forth a son and shall call his name
Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the son of the Highest, and the
Lord God shall give him the throne of his forefather David. He shall rule over
the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
“How shall this be. ” Mary
said to the angel, “seeing that I have no husband?”
The angel answered and said to her :
“The Holy Spirit shall come
upon you and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you. The child that is
born of you shall be holy and shall be called the son of God.”
“Behold, I am the
handmaiden of the Lord. ” Mary said.
“Let it be to me as you
have said.”
So Mary arose and went into
the hill country with haste, to a town of Judah where she went to the house of
Zacharias and his wife, her cousin Elisabeth. And when Elisabeth heard her
greeting she was filled with the Holy Spirit and she cried out with a loud
voice :
“Blessed are you among
women, and blessed is the child you shall bear. But why is it that the mother
of my Lord should come to me.”
An Mary said :
“My soul does praise
the Lord,
And my spirit has
rejoiced
In God my Saviour.
For he has regarded
the lowliness
of his handmaiden :
for, behold,
from henceforth all generations
shall call me blessed
:
For he that is mighty
has done
great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is on those
who fear him
from generation to
generation.
He has showed
strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud
in the imagination of
their hearts.
He has put down the
mighty
from their thrones
and
has exalted them of
low degree.
He has filled the
hungry
with good things,
and the rich he has
sent
empty away.
He has helped his
servant Israel,
in remembrance of his
mercy;
As he spoke to our
fathers,
to Abraham, and to
his seed for ever.”
Mary remained with
Elisabeth for
about three months and then
returned
to her own house.