We visit Mary at the time the angel came to her in today's passage. Again we meditate today by trying to imagine the scene, using all our senses to re-envision it during our meditation.Let's remember first that Mary was a young teenage girl - most authorities I've read say she was around 13 or 14 years old. (Also remember that full adulthood was younger back then, around the late teenage years, since life expectancy was shorter too.)
Imagining the scene, my first thought was to wonder what mood Mary was in at the time. Teenage girls can be extremely happy one moment and depressed the next, and they always seem suspicious of strangers. You can actually sense that in the reading since we are told that Mary is troubled and actually QUESTIONS the angel. "Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be?" (Luke 1:29) Later she asks "How can this be,... since I am a virgin?" (Luke 1:34) It is only after getting a full explanation that she agrees... "May it be to me as you have said." (Luke 1:38)
Continuing my meditation, I imagine other questions. Where did this happen? Was Mary at school... at home... perhaps in her bedroom? Was she completely alone, or were other people nearby? What did she do afterwards? Did she immediately go text her friends or did she keep this to herself for a while?
Then I move on to what this means for me. What if this were me in the room and God (or an angel) came to me and said "I'm gonna completely change your life, but in the process many people will be greatly helped."
Wow...
How would I react?
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