Mary and Baptism

[tlnd]

I reread Luke 1:26-38 and it  became apparent to me that Gabriel told Mary that she was favored by God and was going to have a child. Like Sara, Mary had no choice. She was going to have a child even though it seemed impossible. I have heard people say that Mary gave God permission by saying, “may it be done to me according to your word.” But after rereading the passage I believe she is praying for it to happen as the Angel had told her.

Luke states she was very agitated by the presence of the Angel before he told her all that was to happen. The Angel’s words may have brought some relief but his message was so utterly amazing that believing Mary was calmly giving permission to God to do his will is unimaginable for me now. Mary was not giving God permission, her spirit was so moved by the Angel’s message that she prays that the amazing words he told her would come to be.

Our baptism is meant to lead us to a prayer like Mary’s. When we truly hear the Gospel we should be in a state of amazement. Our baptism gives us the opportunity to pray, “May all these promises I have heard become a part of my life and may I do my part in God’s plan.” Like Mary, our life as a believer begins to evolve from the moment we say our prayer. The baptism of the Church is not a baptism of repentance but a commitment to join others in sustaining the Kingdom of God as a dynamic presence in this world.

 

[thistle]

Everyone including Mary had freewill. She could have refused but did not. She was not forced into having Jesus.

 

[PJM]

First: Mary COULD Have said NO

What the Angel was saying was what COULD be; NOT necessarily what HAD to Be

If an angel appeared you right now; would YOU be at ease with it? No! That is a natural human reaction to being in the presence of the SUPERNATURAL

READ the rest of Luke chapter one: It is Mary’s freewill response AFTER the initial SHOCK wore off

Luke.1 Verses 41 to 55

[41] And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit
[42] and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
[43] And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
[44] For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy.
[45] And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
[46] And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,
[47] and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
[48] for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
[49] for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
[50] And his mercy is on those who fear him
from generation to generation.
[51] He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
[52] he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree;
[53] he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
[54] He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
[55] as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his posterity for ever."

 

[tlnd]

There is function and freewill. How one responds to the events in their functions requires choices,hence freewill. We must be political and we must support the regeneration of human beings. How we choose to do our functions are acts of freewill. Mary probably saw no other role than that of a mother, if she was blessed with the ability to bear a child, or a loving aunt. To be blessed by God the way she was is unimaginable. She prayed that it would be and in the process aligned herself with God’s message and opened her heart to her role. She chose to store everything that happened to Jesus and ponder the events. Ponder Sara and Abraham, the Wedding at Cana, and Jesus prayers on the Mount of Olives and his behavior at the Crucifixion, or John 21:18. There are divine functions that some special people must perform. How they choose to perform them can have a profound influence on the trajectory of others’ lives.