(a) Mary's encounter with Angel Gabriel:
(i) In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, angel Gabriel appeared to Mary in Nazareth.
(ii) The angel greeted Mary and said, "Hail, Oh favoured one, the Lord is with you".
(iii) Mary was very worried by this, and wondered what was happening.
(iv) But the angel told her not to be afraid, because she had found favour with God.
(v) The angel said that she would conceive and bear a son and his name shall bE Jesus.
(vi) He would be great, and be called the Son of the Most High and God would give him David's throne.
(vii; He would reign over the Jews for ever, and there would be no end to his kingdom.
(viii) Mary was greatly troubled and asked how it could be that she could have a child as she had no husband.
(ix) The angel replied that the Holy Spirit would come upon her/and the power of the Most High would overshadow her.
(x) And, therefore, the child to be born shall be called Holy, the Son of God.
(xi) The angel also informed her that her relative, Elizabeth, had conceived a son.
(xii) And she was now in the sixth month of pregnancy, even though she had been thought to be too old to have children.
(xiii) And that nothing was impossible with God.
(xiv) Mary replied humbly that she was the servant of God and she was willing to be used by God.

(b) Significance of Mary's reply:
(i) It reflects Mary's humble co-operation with God's plan for man's salvation.
(ii) Her positive reply made the incarnation of the Son of God possible.
(iii) God provides means to His willing servants to undertake apparently impossible tasks.
(iv) Man should be prepared to receive God's message.
(v) Need to have faith in the word of God.