The Annunciation: A Conversation between Angel Gabriel and Mary

by Cyndi Murillo, University Pastor

Recently, I came across a beautiful piece of art by Kreg Yingst,  depicting the Annunciation – the profound moment in the Christian story when the Angel Gabriel visits the Virgin Mary with the news that she will conceive and bear a son, Jesus, who will be the Son of God. This sacred moment not only changed the course of history but also dramatically altered Mary’s personal life.

As I meditated on the art piece, I couldn’t help but wonder: What must this conversation have been like for Mary? I can imagine the overwhelming flood of emotions she must have felt upon hearing that she would give birth to the long-awaited Messiah. I turned to Luke 1:26-38, where this moment is found in Scripture, and as I went back and forth between reading and looking at the image, it felt like I was eavesdropping on a sacred conversation.

While this is a scene we are all familiar with during this Advent season, I can’t imagine “love, joy, peace and hope” were Mary’s first feelings. We know that she was “thoroughly shaken” by the angel’s message. No doubt, she was worried, confused, and perhaps even afraid. After all, she was a young woman, betrothed to Joseph, suddenly confronted with a divine plan that defied all logic and understanding. Have you ever had a moment when everything changed suddenly, and hope seemed like an impossible thing to hold on to?

I imagine Gabriel could feel her anxiety, as the angel reassured her: “Do not be afraid.” And yet, in the midst of all the uncertainty and unknowns, Mary chose to lean into faith. She surrendered her uncertainties to God and responded with courage: “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” In that moment, Mary demonstrated a profound trust in God’s plan, even though she didn’t know exactly how everything would unfold.

As I reflected on this conversation between Gabriel and Mary, I found myself wondering: Where was the promise of Advent experienced at this moment? Perhaps, in the ambiguity and confusion about her new future, Mary began to feel a glimmer of God’s love – the realization that God had chosen her, of all people, to be the mother of the Savior of the world. What an honor!

Maybe, as Gabriel spoke and his words sank into her heart, there was a glimpse of hope and joy as she imagined her future, what life with her new baby boy would look like. Despite the uncertainty, she might have experienced a flicker of peace as she trusted that the Holy Spirit would be with her, guiding her through this overwhelming journey.

This Christmas season, I’ve found myself relating to Mary at the moment of the Annunciation. I, too, toggle back and forth between the unpredictability of my future and choosing to believe that God – the same God who sent Gabriel to Mary – loves me deeply and will be with me every step of the way. At times, I desperately need to hear God’s voice saying, "Do not be afraid," while other times, I feel a sudden burst of trust and cautiously whisper, "Let it be with me, just as you say."

If you find yourself in this same internal toggle, you are in good company.

In this Advent season, I’m learning that the love, joy, hope and peace of Christmas are available to me, even when I don’t feel them fully. There are moments when I question, doubt, or feel lost in the ambiguity of life. Yet, like Mary, I can choose to surrender my uncertainties to God, trusting in his faithfulness.

May this season remind all of us that God’s love and peace can meet us right where we are – in the uncertainty, in the waiting, in the question marks. Just as God met Mary in her moment of deep uncertainty, God meets us in ours.

Luke 1: 26-38 (MSG)

A Virgin Conceives
26-28 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.

29-33 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.”

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

35 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.

36-38 “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.