Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin’s name, Mary. Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her:

Good morning!

You’re beautiful with God’s beauty, Beautiful inside and out! God be with you.

She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that.

But the angel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear.

God has a surprise for you:

You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.

He will be great, be called ‘Son of the Highest.’

The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David;

He will rule Jacob’s house forever— no end, ever, to his kingdom.”

Mary said to the angel, “But how? I’ve never slept with a man.”

The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest hover over you;

Therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called Holy, Son of God.

“And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.”

And Mary said, Yes, I see it all now:

I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve.

Let it be with me just as you say.

Then the angel left her.