Therefore, Mary's objection seems quite logical to us. It is the highly practical question: "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" (1:34)
Unfortunately for them, God never pays any attention to prophetic objections. In the entire Bible, God never listens to someone's objection and says, "You're right. There probably is someone better temperamentally suited for this and with a better resume. I'll keep looking until I find them."
It doesn't seem as if the prophets were chosen for their special virtue or competence. All we know is that God has chosen them. The details aren't revealed. Mary may be the exception that proves the rule, for Gabriel tells her that she has found favor with God. Still we aren't told any details, and she probably thought it a strange and dangerous way to be shown favor.
God's Reassurance for Mary and All of Us
The next step in a prophetic call is God's reassurance that God is committed to the prophet: God reassures the Old Testament prophets that the divine presence will abide with them in carrying out the call. The prophet's job description is not to speak out of his (or her) own wisdom or eloquence, but to be a messenger for God, to do and speak what is commanded. In fulfilling this task, God promises to be with the prophet as deliverer. In Mary's prophetic call, the angel Gabriel is the mouthpiece for this divine reassurance: "Nothing will be impossible with God" (1:37).
Call, task, objection, reassurance, acceptance: these are the five stages of the prophet's call.
This Christmas season, we have much to learn from Mary the prophet, Mary the mother of Jesus. While her specific task is unique to her, the prophetic call extends to us all. The lesson of the call of Mary the prophet is that while objections are to no avail, God's presence is always available.
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