The Brilliance sing ‘Mother of God’.

Mary, full of grace

The Lord your God is with thee

Blessed are you to bless all the world

Mary, peace is yours

The Spirit is upon you

You will be with child, do not fear

Mother of God

Your baby boy will grant us peace

Your baby boy will grant us peace

Word made flesh

Born of virgin Mary

Hope is in the world, Emmanuel

The Lamb of God

Born to die, He came

He would show the world a better way

Emmanuel

God with us, God with us

Emmanuel

God with us, God with us

Son of God

Hear Your people calling

All cry out for peace, can you hear?

In our despair

We doubt in Your return

Messiah, will You come once again?

Emmanuel

God with us, God with us

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke.

Luke 1:26-38

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 for ever, 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.

Today’s passage recounts the Annunciation: the angel Gabriel visits Mary, announcing that she will conceive and bear the Son of God. On this feast of the Immaculate Conception, we celebrate Mary’s unique gift of grace—enabling her to freely and fully say “yes” to God. What is your understanding of this young woman who will become the Mother of God?

One way of praying is to experience a piece of Scripture through the senses. We meet God in the freeing spirit of our own imagination. This reading from Luke is so evocative that it has inspired countless works of art.

Where would you place Mary?

How warm or cool is it? How is Mary dressed? Wrapped in rugs and sheepskins? Or dressed in homespun, maybe walking thoughtfully...

Perhaps she is in a comfortable corner somewhere, praying over the Scriptures, asking God to be with her as she anticipates her forthcoming marriage?

Is she prepared for the request the angel will make of her?

Are you prepared, in your everyday life, to encounter the divine?

How does Gabriel come to Mary?

By simply appearing, as if from nowhere?

As a stranger with an even stranger request?

How might you recognise encounters with the Divine in your life?

How ready are you to say “yes” to what God asks of you?

As you listen to the passage again, consider what it means to know God’s love with such intimacy.

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 for ever, 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.

“Nothing is impossible to God.”

Take a moment to rest in the intimacy of God’s love for you—and respond in your own way.

O Wisdom

Lord and Ruler

Root of Jesse

Key of David

Rising Sun

King of the Nations

Emmanuel

Come, Lord Jesus