We’re reading at Mass in the days before Christmas Luke’s Infancy narrative, chapters 1-2. It  begins with the simple statement “In the days of Herod, King of Judea,” but Luke says little about this king. The real news is what happens in a small village north of Judea, Nazareth, where an angel approaches Mary, inviting her to become mother of “the Son of the Most High.”

He’s the real news, not Herod and the politics of the day. Even in the temple in Jerusalem, the priest Zechariah, busy at worship, misses at first the message of an angel. But In Nazareth a woman of great faith immediately accepts what an angel says, though she does not understand it all. 

Mary, “full of grace”, says to the angel Gabriel “Be it done to me according to your word”, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 

Mary’s faith enables her to see the mystery of God unfold in her Son’s birth, his hidden life, his ministry, his death and resurrection. Her faith prompts her to act. She visits Elizabeth in the hill country to share the mystery announced to her. Faith inspires her to sing a song. “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord…The Mighty One has done great things.” 

In his infancy narrative Luke writes about faith. His account of the Annunciation offers Mary’s faith to us, a faith that believes without fully seeing, acts generously and spontaneously, and rejoices in the mystery the angel announces.

Beginning his account of the birth of Jesus, Luke will note once again the great figures of the time– Caesar Augustus and the political officials ruling with him. But the real news ( certainly not “fake new”) is what happens in Bethlehem. The shepherds hear it and rejoice, and so should we. 

Readings http://www.usccb.org