The Announcement to Mary (Luke 1:26-38): The Text and Its Meaning

The Annunciation to Mary (Lk 1:26-38) is the moment when the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will be the Mother of God’s Son, and her subsequent free and total “yes.” It is the first revelation of the mystery of Jesus and the beginning of its fulfillment. This guide presents the text of St. Luke and the theological richness of each word in the announcement.

The Text of Luke (Lk 1:26-38)

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel is sent by God to Nazareth, “to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.” Gabriel’s greeting – “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you” – disconcerts Mary, who reflects on its meaning. He announces to her that she will conceive Jesus, the Son of the Most High, whose kingdom will have no end. To her objection, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” the angel replies: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you.” Mary concludes: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.”

“Rejoice” (chaire): An Invitation to Messianic Joy

The first word from the angel, chaire, was translated by the Vulgate as “Hail,” but Greek Fathers and Byzantine liturgy interpret it as a call to joy. In the Old Testament Greek (LXX), the same verb is addressed to the Daughter of Zion in messianic announcements (Sf 3:14; Zc 9:9; Jn 2:21-23). Throughout Luke’s infancy narrative, the joy of salvation is a dominant theme: it would be strange for the announcement of Christ’s birth to be reduced to a mere greeting.

“Full of grace” (kecharitoméne): Transformed by Grace

The Greek term kecharitoméne is theologically rich. Luke did not use the usual formula “pleres charitos” (full of grace), but employs the perfect participle passive form of the verb charitóo, which has a causative and transformative sense. Literally, it means “those who have been transformed by grace.” The perfect tense indicates a grace that comes from God and remains operative in her. It is a new name given to Mary in view of her vocation and mission – as Gideon was called “valiant warrior” (Jz 6:12). This biblical root lies behind what the Church confesses in the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception.

A Vocational Narrative

The Annunciation is not merely an “announcement of birth”: it has the form of a vocational narrative, like Moses (Ex 3), Gideon (Jz 6), or Jeremiah (Jr 1). The focus is on both Jesus and Mary’s response. Luke operates a radical inversion of values: while John the Baptist’s birth is announced to a man (Zac 9:7-8), Jesus’ birth is announced to a woman, an unknown virgin from Nazareth – a sign of God’s absolute freedom in choice.

Mary’s “Yes”

To the title kecharitoméne she receives at the beginning, Mary responds at the end with the title of “servant of the Lord” (doulé) – a term of humility but also dedication to God’s plan. The optative verb génoito (“let it be done”) expresses a free, unconditional, and generous adherence. This “yes” initiates salvation’s fulfillment and lies at the root of her Perpetual Virginity through the action of the Holy Spirit.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### When is the Annunciation celebrated?
**March 25th**, nine months before Christmas.

### What does “full of grace” mean?
It translates the Greek *kecharitoméne*: “those who have been transformed by God’s grace,” a grace that precedes and inhabits her entirely.

### Why does the angel say “do not be afraid”?
It is the typical formula in vocation narratives, serving as a guarantee and encouragement from God to those receiving a mission.

### See Also
– **[Immaculate Conception](https://locusmariologicus.org/imaculada-conceicao/)**
– **[Perpetual Virginity of Mary](https://locusmariologicus.org/virgindade-perpetua-de-maria/)**