Advent Four (Luke 1: 26-55)

Number of Readers: 5 (all women)

all               From Luke 1:26-55

1                 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,

2                 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph,

1                 of the house of David.

4                 The virgin’s name was Mary.

2                 And the angel came to her and said,

3                 "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you."

5                 But Mary was much perplexed by the angel’s words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

1                 The angel said to her,

3                 "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."

2                 Mary said to the angel,

4                 "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"

1                 The angel replied,

3                 "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. The child will be called – Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son. This is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God."

2                 Then Mary said,

4                 "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word."

1                 Then the angel departed from her.

(Pause)

5                 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country.

1                 She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

3                 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb.

2                 Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry,

5                 "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."

1                 And Mary said,

4                 "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has alone great things for me, and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm.
He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,  and lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
According to the promise he made to our ancestors,
To Abraham and to his descendants forever.