"I'm the Lord's maid, ready to serve." Luke 1:38. (from THE MESSAGE)

To fathom the response of Mary is to capture one of the most powerful messages of Christmas.

Engaged to be married to Joseph, full of hope for a life blessed by marriage and motherhood, pure of heart and of body, she had every reason to believe that she would enjoy the fruits of a good and honest life. Simple. Out of the spotlight. And yet the intervention by Gabriel, God