Herod the King was troubled by the appearance of wise men who threatened his kingdom with the promise of a new king so he called in the Chief Priests and Scribes to find out where the baby would be born.

Anna is an elderly widow who, quite literally, lives at the temple, devoting her entire life to the service and worship of God. She loves God with her whole being and rejoices at the appearance of Jesus, the Messiah. 

Mary and Joseph present Jesus as their firstborn son to the temple. Simeon, a righteous priest, has been given a message and is guided by the Holy Spirit.

After hearing a message of great joy for all people to hear, the shepherds don’t hesitate before rushing off to find Jesus with Mary and Joseph. They proclaim the good news to anyone who will listen and deliver exhortations to Jesus, praising him as King.

The shepherds here are taking shifts, watching over their flock at night, as they normally would that time of year. As they diligently tend to their business, night suddenly turns to day as the glory of the Lord falls around them and angels arrive to deliver a message. 

After his ascension to the throne of the Roman Empire, Caesar Augustus’ reign was the start of what was called Pax Romana, or the Roman Peace. This peace lasted for 200 years and was a great benefit to the world, but it came at a cost.

The Jews, God’s chosen people, believed that a Messiah would come to save them. Some imagined that their Messiah would come with great wealth and power, a prince or warrior who would overthrow the Romans. They would have never guessed He would come through a poor girl, like Mary. Mary knows that the Messiah she carries in her womb would challenge the world’s cultural mentality of religious and economic privilege.

Mary was one of a faithful remnant of Israel, who for 400 silent years had been awaiting the arrival of their prophesied Savior. Now that His arrival is finally upon her, she is so filled with exceeding joy, that she cannot contain her worship. From her mouth comes an outburst of praise, filled with marvel and wonder. Though Mary may have never guessed her response would be made known to others, the church would echo her canticle for thousands of years.

After hearing about her relative Elizabeth’s pregnancy from the angel Gabriel, Mary hurries into the hill country—a considerable distance of about 90 miles—to visit Elizabeth.

We read about the annunciation yesterday, and this is Mary’s response. She doesn’t answer with joy, but with a desire to understand and a willingness to be used.