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How did Mary respond to Gabriel’s announcement in the Gospel of Luke?
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Mary
Madonna and Child, oil and tempera on panel by Antonello da Messina, 1475; in the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
In the Gospel According to Luke, Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel is characterized by initial confusion followed by faithful acceptance. Upon hearing the announcement that she would conceive a son, Mary was "much perplexed" and questioned how this could occur, given that she was a virgin.1
After Gabriel explained that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and affirmed that "nothing will be impossible with God," Mary accepted her role in the Incarnation. She responded to the angel by stating: "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word".1