What was it like?

It is always difficult to think of what it must have like for Mary? By all accounts she is a young girl - 16? - maybe older, but maybe younger too. We don't know. We don't know a lot about her family situation, but there is no mention of dialog with Mother and Father, just her cousin, Elizabeth. Yet here she is, and what she says yes to is not the sort of thing we can brush off as "sure, why not?"

Luke 1:38 (NIV)
1:38 "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

We get a hint of her character, and the depth of her soul in her "song", Luke 1:46-55 (NIV)
1:46 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."

I love Mary's heart. As a Protestant, I think we make too little of Mary, and perhaps our Catholic brothers and sisters make too much of her. But what is so obvious is that Mary is filled with joyful praise. The song is called "The Magnificat" because the Latin version is Magnificat anima mea Dominium - "my soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord". Mary's small, young person doesn't diminish her grand vision of the greatness of God.

I think I'd like to meet Mary someday!