Christmas Through the Eyes of Mary | Week 1

Week 1 – Christmas Faith Just like Mary, we enter this Christmas season with hearts filled with faith for what Jesus has done and will do for us! Christmas is a time of year that brings about a whirlwind of emotions. We often think of loved ones present and past, reminisce about cherished childhood memories, and even reflect on gifts given and received. Regardless of who we are – young or old, rich or poor – Christmas stirs our hearts. But even before the first Christmas, hearts were stirred, perhaps most profoundly by the one who understood it best at the time: Mary. As the very first to celebrate the arrival of Jesus Christ, this Christmas we step into her place, into young Mary’s heart, and with wonder and awe, faith, and even joy, we the behold JESUS: the incredible answer the world was longing for. 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.