Luke 1:29Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Upon hearing the angel’s message and witnessing his appearance, the holy Virgin contemplated within herself, pondering, “What does this salutation mean? What is the significance of these words I am hearing? I am the first to receive a greeting from an angel—what does this imply regarding my standing? Am I truly favored? For what reasons, and in what ways? Is the Lord present with me? Yet, who among those who revere Him could claim His absence? Am I indeed 'blessed among women'? For what purpose and in what manner? What grace do these words promise to me? What miracle is being declared?”

Mary reflected on the salutation, questioning if it was malicious and cruel, similar to how a man might speak to a young woman, or if it held a sacred significance, since it invoked God with the words: ‘The Lord is with thee’?

More than with me, for He Himself is in thy heart, He is (made) in thy womb, He fills thy soul, He fills thy womb.

Far different then to the news formerly addressed to the woman, is the announcement now made to the Virgin. In the former, the cause of sin was punished by the pains of childbirth; in the latter, through gladness, sorrow is driven away. Hence the angel not unaptly proclaims joy to the Virgin, saying, Hail.

And it is well said, Full of grace, for to others, grace comes in part; into Mary at once the fulness of grace wholly infused itself. She truly is full of grace through whom has been poured forth upon every creature the abundant rain of the Holy Spirit. But already He was with the Virgin Who sent the angel to the Virgin. The Lord preceded His messenger, for He could not be confined by place Who dwells in all places. Whence it follows, The Lord is with thee.

Mark the virgin by her manner of life. Alone in an inner chamber, unseen by the eyes of men, discovered only by an angel; as it is said, And the angel came in unto her. That she might not be dishonoured by any ignoble address, she is saluted by an angel.

When she encountered him, she felt unsettled by his words. She questioned whether he might be a false prophet and pondered the nature of his kiss—whether it was heavenly or sinister. Yet, kissing is typically a form of greeting.

For if Mary had known that similar words had been addressed to others, such a salutation would never have appeared to her so strange and alarming.

But that she was judged worthy of the nuptials is attested by his saying, Full of grace. For it is signified as a kind of token or marriage gift of the bridegroom, that she was fruitful in graces. For of the things which he mentions, the one appertains to the bride, the other to the bridegroom.

When the Virgin encountered him, she was apprehensive, unsure if he might be a tempting angel, capable of leading the unwary astray as he had with Eve. Consequently, she received his greetings cautiously, scrutinizing him closely, lacking complete clarity regarding her proximity to God, a truth he proclaimed to her. Thus, she felt a disturbance within, as it is written, troubled by his words and steadfast in her commitment to her purity.

"Do not be troubled by the message." In this instance, the sense of confusion does not belong to Zechariah. The root of the bewilderment was genuine and pure; she grappled with the ‘message,’ not with the vision itself. Tradition holds that she had encountered angelic visions prior to this announcement, making her somewhat familiar with such encounters. However, the message she received must have stirred her innermost being. The Church articulates this depth of Mary's soul when the Angel declares to her: "The serpent has occasionally led Eve astray, but I announce to you great joy." For a genuinely humble and righteous person—where true goodness cannot exist without humility—words of exaltation invariably bring about confusion. "And she pondered." St.

In the sixth month of Elizabeth's gestation, a celestial messenger was dispatched, not to Jerusalem, but to a humble and obscure town in Galilee known as Nazareth. This angel did not approach a revered priest esteemed for his virtues before God and humanity, but instead a virgin who remained unknown to the world. The angel manifested not within a temple, synagogue, or any sacred location, but in a simple dwelling—bringing his message to a virgin who might more likely be associated with shame than with the honor of divine selection. It is likely that this encounter occurred during her prayer, at a time when her gaze was lifted toward the heavens and her spirit was fully oriented toward the throne of the Almighty.

The angel then clarifies the significance of his greeting by explaining that Mary is favored, having received grace, unique favor, and love from God. Truly, she is blessed among women, for she will give birth to a Son, who will be the Son of the Most High and the eternal King upon the throne of David, the promised Messiah. To ensure Mary understands, the Archangel shares his message using the language of Old Testament prophecies, reflecting the way the Messiah is depicted in the Scriptures. These prophetic images, as found in passages such as 2 Samuel 7:16, Isaiah 9:7, Daniel 7:27, and Psalm 2:7, are meant to be fully revealed to her gradually, alongside unfolding events and divine revelations.

Mary was bewildered by the angel's unique message: she struggled to comprehend it and pondered deeply.

The presence of the celestial messenger in her private chamber, coinciding with the time of prayer, undoubtedly caused her distress, leading her to ponder the nature of the greeting she had received.

The Holy Virgin was perplexed by the unexpected presence of the angel and his extraordinary salutation, yet her reaction differed from that of Zacharias, who was filled with fear and skepticism. The Blessed One, however, contemplated the significance of this remarkable greeting. This suggests that for the Holy Virgin, encounters with celestial beings were not unfamiliar, as indicated by ancient traditions that recount the angelic visitations she experienced while residing in the Temple before her marriage.

Upon witnessing the divine messenger proclaiming remarkable joy to the Blessed Virgin, She felt a sense of confusion. St. Philaret of Moscow poses the question: "Why was this so? Could it be that She did not recognize the Heavenly Envoy? If the mere appearance of a stranger caused Her distress, then surely His gentle and righteous words should have comforted Her immediately. Was it, perhaps, the sight of a higher spiritual being that unsettled Her fragile and mortal nature? Yet, Her purity, unmatched among humanity, equipped Her to engage in divine communion, and tradition suggests that this was not Her first encounter with such a presence.