"But while he thought about these things, behold,
an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying,‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid
to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is
conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit” (Mt. 1:20).
From what the angel announced to Joseph, it is clear that the Virgin Mary had told him nothing of her earlier encounter with the great archangel, as it is clear that now, when Joseph intended to put her away, she did not justify herself in any way. The angel’s message, as all the heavenly mysteries that were gradually revealed to her, “she kept, and
pondered ... in her heart”(Lk. 2:19 & 2:51).
In her faith to God and obedience to Him, she shrank from no humiliation at the hands of men. “If my sufferings are pleasing to God, why should I not endure them?” said some of the Christian martyrs later. Living in constant prayer and
pondering on God, the Most-Pure Virgin was also able to say,“If my humiliation is pleasing to God, why should I not endure it? Only let me be
righteous before God, who knows the heart, and the world can do what it likes with me.” She knew this: that the world could do nothing to her unless
God allowed it.
What gentle humility before the living God this is, and what wonderful devotion to His will! And further—what a heroic spirit is seen in this delicate maiden: “The Lord is the strength of them who fear Him”(Ps. 24:13). While sinners in our day, as in all days, bring even false witnesses to testify for them, the Virgin Mary who had no man to testify for her, other than God almighty, did not justify herself. She was not disturbed, but
remained silent and waited for God, in His good time, to justify her. And God hastened to justify His chosen one. This same angel who had revealed to her the great mystery of her conceiving, made haste to speak now in place of the silent Virgin.
St. Nikolai Velimirovic
