advent 4 year b - luke

Luke 1:26-38

²⁶In the sixth month 

     the angel Gabriel was sent by God 

          to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 

          ²⁷to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph,

               of the house of David.

               The virgin’s name was Mary. 

²⁸And the angel came to her and said,

     “Greetings, favored one!

          The Sovereign is with you.”

²⁹But she was much perplexed by the angel’s words

     and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 

³⁰The angel said to her,

     “Do not be afraid, Mary,

          for you have found favor with God. 

          ³¹And now, 

               you will conceive in your womb 

               and bear a son,

                    and you will name him Jesus. 

          ³²He will be great,

               and will be called the Son of the Most High,

               and the Sovereign God will give to him the throne 

                    of his ancestor David. 

                    ³³He will reign over the house of Jacob forever,

                         and of his dominion there will be no end.” 

³⁴Mary said to the angel,

     “How can this be,

          since I am a virgin?” 

³⁵The angel said to 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 holy;

                    he will be called Son of God. 

          ³⁶And now,

               your relative Elizabeth 

                    in her old age has also conceived a son;

                    and this is the sixth month 

                         for her who was said to be barren. 

                              ³⁷For nothing will be impossible with God.”

³⁸Then Mary said,

     “Here am I,

          the servant of the Sovereign;

               let it be with me according to your word.”

Then the angel departed from her.

Queeries for the text:

How many Marys did the angel ask before one said yes?

Was this consensual?  Is it possible to say no or challenge God?

If Joseph is from the house of David, is Jesus really a descendant of David?

If Mary is female and the Holy Spirit is feminine in Hebrew and Neuter in Greek, what does that make Jesus?

What does conceiving a child with God feel like?

What are your queeries?