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Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, \u201cDo not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob\u2019s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.\u201d (Luke 1:29-33)
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Mary was troubled. \xa0Not at the angel\u2019s appearance, but at his words. \xa0What a strange thing. \xa0The words Mary is responding to were part of our text yesterday. \xa0These words from the angel: \u201cGreetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you!\u201d \xa0These are the words that made Mary greatly troubled.

But Mary\u2019s reaction is strange, not just because these were actually quite nice words, but also because usually people are frightened by the sight of the angel, not the content of the angel\u2019s speech. \xa0Most folks cannot hear what the angel has to say until after they are reassured about the angel\u2019s frightening appearance. \xa0But not with Mary: there is an odd receptivity in her from the start. \xa0Her eyes are open and ready, and so are her ears. \xa0She is ready to hear and attend to the voice of God. \xa0

But she is not well prepared to be so unquestioningly received by God. \xa0This is what greatly troubles her. \xa0That she is favoured and that God is with her: that\u2019s what gives her pause and sends her mind reeling. \xa0

I think many of us can relate. \xa0We are content to think of ourselves as naught more than lowly servants, certainly no one to be paid attention to. \xa0Some of us consider ourselves to be lowly, sinful worms: unworthy of God\u2019s attention. \xa0Still others of us consider ourselves to be a bit on the outside. Rebels with a few questionable habits, activities, and places we hang out. \xa0Folks who like to have fun and not take life too seriously: certainly not of the pious, inner-circle sort. \xa0

What a shocking surprise then when an angel shows up at some random time in the middle of the week to say: \u201cGreetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you!\u201d \xa0Can you imagine? \xa0What if he just popped in on you at work? \xa0At school? \xa0In the living room watching a movie? \xa0At the pub playing or listening to some live music?

And yet, those are exactly the sorts of words that God does speak to us at just the oddest of times. \xa0Through the work of Mary\u2019s newly announced son, Jesus, we have now all become daughters and sons of God. \xa0So the Lord is with us. \xa0He does favour us highly: even loves us. \xa0Unconditionally. \xa0Black sheep and white sheep, the shame-filled and the drifters: all of us he loves just the same.

Mary would have to be told a second time for it to sink in though. \xa0And if attentive Mary needed to hear it twice, then I\u2019m sure we do too. \xa0Maybe three times even. \xa0\u201cDo not be afraid; you have found favor with God.\u201d \xa0

I don\u2019t know if you noticed it, but all the saving promises of Jesus have already begun slowly seeping into the story. \xa0\u201cThe Lord is with you\u201d the angel says. \xa0Why, in these words Mary has already receive the promise of Immanuel, \u201cGod with us.\u201d \xa0And finding favour with God\u2014in these words, Mary has already received the promised chosen-ness soon to be realized for us all in Jesus\u2019 work.\xa0

Slowly the good news of the gospel has begun seeping into the story: not just in future promises, but also in Mary\u2019s lived reality. \xa0I hope this good news also interrupts you today and begins seeping into your story in just that way: in the midst of whatever you\u2019re doing, as you hear and know that these words are also for you: \u201cyou who are highly favoured\u2014the Lord is with you!\u201d

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