Today we light the second candle, the purple ‘Candle of Faith’. A young woman, Mary, was pledged to be married, but not yet married. She was visited by the angel Gabriel, who told very disturbing things. The angel told her things that would change her life forever. What amazing faith she showed. Mary put her trust in the Lord God surrendering herself to be the servant of His will.

Luke 1:26-38 says:  In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Lord, long ago Mary surrendered herself to you and was used by you to bring the Saviour into the world. Give us that same faith, that same deep confidence in you. For you are at work in us and through us, especially in the hard things. Lord, we love you and we trust you. Give us the faith to say, ‘I am the Lord’s servant.’ Amen.