The name of the city of Nazareth does not appear at all in the Old Testament, for God’s triumph became clear only in the New Testament. The pious Jews called Galilee with contempt "the circuit of backward Gentiles" (Isaiah 9:1). However, God, in his design, intended to reveal his glory in thick darkness. The coming of Christ did not take place in the temple and its clamor, but in a simple house on the outlying areas of the town. Today, the angel of the Lord does not reveal the design of the Holy One only in capitals and churches, but also in village caves and nomad tents. He often finds more obedience of faith with the simple and the lowly than with the clever, rich and religious.
Mary was a virgin of the tribe of David. We do not know much about her past. However, her name signifies in Hebrew "bitterness" or "sorrow". Her father probably so called her because she did not have a child. He was not aware that God’s promise was revealed from the beginning and that the long-expected Messiah was to be born of a woman and not of a man (Genesis 3:16). Mary was a true woman representing our troubles and sorrows. We all went astray. There is none who does good, no, not one. Christ said, "No one is good but One, that is, God." (Luke 18:19).
Yet, there is a great difference between Mary and us. Our hearts are hard, whereas her heart was prepared to believe and hear the word of God and to obey his Spirit. Mary took power from the Scriptures and continued as pure virgin expecting God’s guidance. She agreed to be betrothed in the city of Nazareth to Joseph, the carpenter who was also a son of the same royal family of King David like her. Both of them were worthy of participating in God’s promises to this seed (2 Samuel 7:12,14). The angel of God entered into the house of Mary and prepared her to accept the mother of all miracles, to listen to the word of the Lord, believe it and accept it, for Christ is born only of the word of God in which the Virgin believed.
The first two words of the divine herald sounded as if the door of heaven was opened wide, for the messenger of God testified peace and grace to the world as a foundation for the New Testament as all the other evangelists did in the beginning of their gospels. Mary was highly favored and chosen by God among all mortal women to bear the Eternal One down her heart. All the blessings of heaven and the fullness of the Godhead centered and dwelt in her fetus. Christ was not filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb as John the Baptist was, but was practically God himself with Mary. Until now, God is near to men, but hidden. However, Mary began her powerful new communion with God, which indicates that Christ resides in our hearts through faith.
Mary was not perfect in herself like Christ who spoke with the angels as his ministers, but became troubled and afraid, because the light of God uncovered all her humanity. However she did not speak quickly, but kept silent and thought as quick as lightning of what this wonderful salutation could mean. Would that all humans hear God’s call quickly and consider it prayerfully so that they may receive from the Holy One a more profound and clear answer than what they heard in the first call.
The angel knew the Virgin’s thoughts and confirmed to her that she found favor with the Holy One. She was not the spring of all favors, but God’s favor was made incarnate in her child. This is why the angel suggested to her that she should not be afraid of the mighty angel who takes revenge and judges, but should cast all fear and embrace his grace and love. Mary sought the living God Throughout her life until she received the fruits of her prayers and yearnings.
Mary perfected her trust in God and laid her hope completely on grace trusting God’s pure love and holy protection.
At this certain faith, the angel revealed to her seven secrets about her coming child: