52 SONGS / 52 WEEKS

mary, full of grace

Mary, Full of Grace

This song celebrates the Annunciation, the angelic pronouncement to Mary that she had been chosen to conceive and bear God’s Son. The story is recorded in Luke 1:26-38.

I have read that passage of Scripture who knows how many times in my life. But God’s Word, we are told, is living and active. And sometimes a part of the Bible you’ve read a 1,000 times will hit different on that 1,001 reading.

Last year in preparation of the Advent season, I read Luke 1 again and this time I couldn’t shake the question: What exactly was it that God saw in Mary? Of all the females in all of Israel, what did God see in Mary that led Him to choose her for this holiest and hardest of tasks?

My hope in writing this song was to honor Mary, the mother of Jesus. To ponder and highlight what made her favored by God. To celebrate her agency and strength in saying yes to the utterly ridiculous request that was made of her. Mary gave her consent to bringing a child to full term, and to do so as a virgin! …Oh, and she was told that this child would be the very Child of God! And, of course, this was all based on the word of one who claimed to be an angel sent by God. And she said yes? Then, as if that wasn’t enough, she continued to show that same strength and resolve in letting her Child go on to do, and have done to him, all that had to be done.

It is truly remarkable. No wonder she was selected by God for this task. Clearly, she had what it would take to handle the burden and the pain of saying yes.

I have a painting in my office that was given to my parents as a gift on their wedding day. The painting is of Mary holding baby Jesus, a subject that has been painted a million different times by a million different artists. There is a small detail in this painting, though, that sets it apart from the others and has always captured my fascination. Mary’s hands are hovering over baby Jesus more than they are holding Him. There is an intimacy and tenderness in her embrace that is matched equally by a disciplined readiness to let Him go. She would need to do both. He is her Son, after all, but He belongs to the world. In saying yes to archangel Gabriel, Mary said yes to it all.

All glory be to Christ forever. And God bless his mother for the irreplaceable role she played in His story and therefore our story too.

Lyrics

Angel Gabriel,
tread with care
You have my message,
have no fear
Mary is my favored one
She’s fair and,
Gabriel, she is strong

So, careful, Gabriel,
it’s no small ask
If she agrees,
it’s no small task
She’ll be the one who will give birth
But her Child belongs
to the whole earth

So, first, she’ll need
to hold Him close
Then she’ll need
the nerve to let Him go

Oh, Mary full of grace
Full of grit and full of strength
To say yes, and
bring God’s Son to term
to birth Him and raise Him
and watch the world take Him away
…to bear him and bear the pain
Oh, Mary full grace

Mary, you’re chosen to bring
on earth heaven’s King,
name Him Jesus
He will fill David’s throne
and all of Israel’s hopes
rest in His Kingdom

But for these nine months
…He’s yours alone

Mary, mother, meek & mild
Woman, warrior, strong & wild
Power pulses in this girl
A fire that burns,
a storm that swirls

Gabriel, we made
the right choice
And now we wait for Mary’s Boy

Credits

Words & Music: Bill Wolf
Vocals: Abby Double
Produced: Sam Cunningham
String Arrangement: Adam Whipple

Violins: Kim Barnes
Cellos: Andrew Bryenton
Piano: Keaton Stone
Drums: Drew Walburg
Bass Guitar: Caleb McClimans
Electric Guitar: Brad Campbell