Luke 1:30-38
These verses focus on Mary, who was probably a teenage girl and apparently a virgin. Considering Mary from a bio psychosocial perspective she is biologically female, probably not much past the age of puberty, naive and is engaged to a man named Joseph. She represents nothing special in her culture. Psychologically she believes that an angel talks to her and forecasts her future to be the mother of the son of the most high God. One could question whether she was mentally ill and was experiencing grandiose delusions and auditory and visual hallucinations. She seems in contact with reality as she asks a logical question to the angel in regard to how she can conceive a pregnancy as a virgin. Culturally she is related to Elizabeth who had not been able to conceive a pregnancy into older age and now Elizabeth is six months pregnant with the future John the Baptizer.
by Gray Z.
The greater message comes to Mary from the angel when the angel says, “For there is nothing that God cannot do.”
As the history of the early church grew through the centuries Mary became a dominant female figure among Roman Catholics. Her status first pronounced in Luke 1:30-38 remains important to the Rosary. These words are good news.
Hail Mary, full of grace.
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Henry Holland