“Then Mary said, ‘ Here am I , the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.” –Luke 1:38 Throughout the Bible, when God speaks a word to God’s followers, the signal that they hear and are prepared to answer the call is marked by their response: “Here am I.” When God calls on Abraham and Moses, they respond, “Here am I.” Samuel, perhaps slower on the draw, responds, “Here am I,” three times before he figures out it is the LORD who calls him. Mary’s response, marked by this same signal, shows that she is included in this line of those called by God for a purpose, and that she has the strength and faith to respond, “Here am I.” But unlike those who have come before, here a woman is shown answering this call. This breaking of the gender barrier signals a shift in what God is doing in the world. When Mary offers her own, “Here am I,” it is to a wholly new work: God’s own birthing into the world, taking on flesh to ...
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