Lent@Landmark: Day 18

Today we have a flashback interrupting our Lenten journey to the cross.

And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you."

But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.

He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."

Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"

The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.

And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren.

For nothing will be impossible with God."

Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:28-38)

In the Catholic church, Mary is revered in ways that Protestants find uncomfortable. I’d imagine that, in many ways, it would make Mary uncomfortable too.

However, I feel that Protestants have overcorrected at times, downplaying Mary’s contribution and failing to give her the credit she is due.

Most importantly, do we give her the credit she is due by seeing her reaction to God’s call and adopting it as our own, even when that call is a costly one?