Just below you will find scripture passages that identify
some of the key characteristics
in the person of Mary as the;
obedient believer (Annunciation)
blessed woman (Visitation)
nurturing mother (Nativity)
compassionate friend (Cana)
and courageous disciple (standing at the foot of the Cross).
An Obedient Believer
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy
God sent the angel Gabriel
to a town in Galilee named Nazareth.
27 He had a message for a young woman promised in marriage
to a man named Joseph, who was a descendant of King David.
Her name was Mary.
28 The angel came to her and said, “Peace be with you!
The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you!”
29 Mary was deeply troubled by the angel's message,
and she wondered what his words meant.
30 The angel said to her, “Don't be afraid, Mary;
God has been gracious to you.
31 You will become pregnant and give birth to a son,
and you will name him Jesus.
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God.
The Lord God will make him a king, as his ancestor David was,
33 and he will be the king of the descendants of Jacob forever;
his kingdom will never end!"
34 Mary said to the angel, “I am a virgin. How, then, can this be?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you,
and God's power will rest upon you.
For this reason the holy child will be called the Son of God.
36 Remember your relative Elizabeth.
It is said that she cannot have children,
but she herself is now six months pregnant,
even though she is very old.
37 For there is nothing that God cannot do.”
38 “I am the Lord's servant, said Mary;
may it happen to me as you have said.
And the angel left her.”
A Blessed Woman
Visitation (Luke 1:39 - 49)
39 Soon afterward Mary got ready and hurried off to a town
in the hill country of Judea.
40 She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the baby moved within her.
Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit
42 and said in a loud voice,
“You are the most blessed of all women,
and blessed is the child you will bear!
43 Why should this great thing happen to me,
that my Lord's mother comes to visit me?
44 For as soon as I heard your greeting,
the baby within me jumped with gladness.
45 How happy you are to believe
that the Lord's message to you will come true!”
46 Mary said, “My heart praises the Lord;
47 my soul is glad because of God my Saviour,
48 for he has remembered me, his lowly servant!
From now on all people will call me blessed,
49 because of the great things
the Lord has done for me.”
A Nurturing Mother
Nativity (Luke 2:15 - 20)
15 Now when the angels had gone from them into heaven,
the shepherds said to one another,
‘Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened
which the Lord has made known to us.’
16 So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph,
and the baby lying in the manger.
17 When they saw the child they repeated
what they had been told about him,
18 and everyone who heard it was astonished
at what the shepherds had to say.
19 As for Mary, she treasured all these things
and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen;
it was exactly as they had been told.
A Compassionate Friend
Cana (John 2:1 - 5)
1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee.
Jesus’ mother was there,
2 and Jesus and his disciples
had also been invited to the wedding.
2 and Jesus and his disciples
had also been invited to the wedding.
3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him,
“They have no more wine.”
4 “Woman, why do you involve me?”
Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants,
“Do whatever he tells you.”
*One may assume Mary wished to spare her hosts embarrassment.
*One may assume Mary wished to spare her hosts embarrassment.
Also significant that Mary acknowledges Jesus
as having the divine power to assist in the situation.
A Courageous Disciple
Standing At The Foot Of The Cross (John 19:25 - 27)
25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother’s sister,
Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala.
26 Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her,
Jesus said to his mother, “Woman, this is your son.”
27 Then to the disciple he said, ‘This is your mother.’
And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.
*One may assert that to stand before a cross, of a crucified ‘criminal’
and claim him as your son must have required great courage ~
particularly when others had hidden themselves from authority.
