In
the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth,
A
town in Galilee,
To
a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph,
A
descendant of David.
The
virgin's name was Mary.
The
angel went to her and said,
'Greetings,
you who are highly favored!
The
Lord is with you.'
Mary
greatly troubled at his words
And
wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
But
the angel said to her,
'Do
not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
You
will be with child and give birth to a son,
And
you are to give him the name 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 the House of Jacob FOREVER;
HIS
KINGDOM WILL NEVER END.'
'How
will this be,' Mary asked the angel, 'since I am a virgin?'
The
angel answered,
'The
Holy Spirit will Come Upon you,
And
the Power of the Most High will Overshadow you.
So
the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.
Even
Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age,
And
she who was said to be Barren is in her sixth month.
FOR
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD.'
'I
am the Lord's Servant,' Mary answered,
'MAY
IT BE TO ME AS YOU HAVE SAID.'
Then
the angel left her.
At
that time Mary got ready
And
hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah,
Where
she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.
When
Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
THE
BABY LEAPED IN HER WOMB,
And
Elizabeth was Filled with the Holy Spirit.
In
a loud voice she exclaimed;
BLESSED
are you among women,
And
Blessed is the Child you will bear!
But
why am I so Favored
That
the mother of my Lord should come to me?
As
soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
THE
BABY IN MY WOMB LEAPED FOR JOY.
BLESSED
is she who has Believed
That
what the Lord has said to her will be Accomplished!'
And
Mary said:
'My
soul praises the Lord
And
my spirit Rejoices in God my Savior.
For
He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant.
From
now on All Generations will call me Blessed,
For
the Mighty One has done Great Things for me--
Holy
is His Name.
HIS
MERCY EXTENDS TO THOSE WHO FEAR HIM,
From
Generation to Generation.
He
has Performed Mighty Deeds with His Arm;
He
has Scattered those who are Proud in their inmost thoughts.
HE
HAS BROUGHT DOWN RULERS FROM THEIR THRONES
But
He has Lifted Up the Humble.
He
has Filled the Hungry with Good Things
But
has Sent the Rich Away Empty.
He
has helped His Servant Israel,
Remembering
to be Merciful to Abraham
And
his Descendants FOREVER,
Even
as He said to our fathers.'
(Luke
1:26-55)
Today,
Blessed are those who Believe.
God's
Mercy Extends to those who Fear Him.
Today,
we await the Soon Coming King.
Who
will Establish His Kingdom in Jerusalem,
On
Mount Zion, for a Thousand Years!
(Revelation
20:4-6)
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