The Annunciation to the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:26–38)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

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St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies, as preserved in the Catena Aurea on Luke (on Luke 1:26–35) Trans. J. H. Newman, Oxford 1841–1845. Public domain. Full text: https://archive.org/details/CatenaAureaNewEdV4

On the angel appearing before the conception, in visible shape:

The Angel announces the birth to the Virgin not after the conception, lest she should be thereby too much troubled, but before the conception he addresses her, not in a dream, but standing by her in visible shape. For as great indeed were the tidings she receives, she needed before the issue of the event an extraordinary visible manifestation.

On "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?":

Look not for the order of nature in things which transcend and overpower nature. Dost thou say, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? Nay rather, shall it happen to thee for this very reason, that thou hast never known a husband. For if thou hadst, thou wouldest not have been thought worthy of the mystery, not that marriage is unholy, but virginity more excellent. It became the common Lord of all both to take part with us, and to differ with us in His nativity; for the being born from the womb, He shared in common with us, but in that He was born without cohabitation, He was exalted far above us.

On the Sun of righteousness taking a pure body from the Virgin:

But since it seems shocking or unworthy to some men that God should inhabit a body, is the Sun, I would ask, the heat whereof is felt by each body that receives its rays, at all sullied as to its natural purity? Much more then does the Sun of righteousness, in taking upon Himself a most pure body from the Virgin's womb, escape not only defilement, but even shew forth His own mother in greater holiness.

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St. Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376–444)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Luke (on Luke 1:31–32) Trans. J. H. Newman, Oxford 1841–1845. Public domain. Full text: https://archive.org/details/CatenaAureaNewEdV4

On "shalt call his name JESUS":

But this name was given anew to the Word in adaptation to His nativity in the flesh; as that prophecy saith, Thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord hath named.

On the throne of David and the descent of Christ:

Not, however, from Joseph proceeded the most pure descent of Christ. For from one and the same line of connexion had sprung both Joseph and the Virgin, and from this the only-begotten had taken the form of man.

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St. Basil the Great (c. 330–379)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Luke (on Luke 1:34–35) Trans. J. H. Newman, Oxford 1841–1845. Public domain. Full text: https://archive.org/details/CatenaAureaNewEdV4

On "seeing I know not a man":

Knowledge is spoken of in various ways. The wisdom of our Creator is called knowledge, and an acquaintance with His mighty works, the keeping also of His commandments, and the constant drawing near to Him; and besides these the marriage union is called knowledge, as it is here.

On "that holy thing which shall be born of thee", and St. Paul's word "born of a woman":

Hence also, St. Paul says, God sent forth His Son, born not (by a woman) but of a woman. For the words by a woman might convey only a mere passing expression of birth, but when it is said, of a woman, there is openly declared a communion of nature between the son and the parent.

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St. Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335–395)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Luke (on Luke 1:28–35) Trans. J. H. Newman, Oxford 1841–1845. Public domain. Full text: https://archive.org/details/CatenaAureaNewEdV4

On "Hail", and how the greeting reverses the sentence once spoken to Eve:

Far different then to the news formerly addressed to the woman, is the announcement now made to the Virgin. In the former, the cause of sin was punished by the pains of childbirth; in the latter, through gladness, sorrow is driven away. Hence the Angel not unaptly proclaims joy to the Virgin, saying, Hail.

On the womb made the receptacle of the Holy Spirit:

O blessed is that womb which because of the overflowing purity of the Virgin Mary has drawn to itself the gift of life! For in others scarcely indeed shall a pure soul obtain the presence of the Holy Spirit, but in her the flesh is made the receptacle of the Spirit.

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St. Gregory Thaumaturgus (c. 213–270)

The Third Homily on the Annunciation to the Holy Virgin Mary (on Luke 1:26–27) Ascribed to Gregory Thaumaturgus and printed among his works in the Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 6; the editors there class it among the "Dubious or Spurious Writings," so its authorship is uncertain. Trans. in the Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 6, 1886. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf06.iii.iv.v.iii.html

On the angel sent to the Virgin, that the serpent might no more deceive the woman:

An angel talks with the Virgin, in order that the serpent may no more have converse with the woman.

On the sending of Gabriel:

Gabriel was sent to declare the world-wide salvation: Gabriel was sent to bear to Adam the signature of his restoration; Gabriel was sent to a virgin, in order to transform the dishonour of the female sex into honour; ... Gabriel was sent to wed the creature with the Creator; Gabriel was sent to the animate palace of the King of the angels; Gabriel was sent to a virgin espoused to Joseph, but preserved for Jesus the Son of God.

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Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

On Holy Virginity, as preserved in the Catena Aurea on Luke (on Luke 1:27) Trans. J. H. Newman, Oxford 1841–1845. Public domain. Full text: https://archive.org/details/CatenaAureaNewEdV4

On "To a virgin", and why Christ was born of a virgin:

To a virgin, for Christ could be born from virginity alone, seeing He could not have an equal in His birth. It was necessary for our Head by this mighty miracle to be born according to the flesh of a virgin, that He might signify that His members were to be born in the spirit of a virgin Church.

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St. Ambrose of Milan (c. 339–397)

Exposition of the Gospel according to Luke, as preserved in the Catena Aurea on Luke (on Luke 1:27–38) Trans. J. H. Newman, Oxford 1841–1845. Public domain. Full text: https://archive.org/details/CatenaAureaNewEdV4

On why she was both espoused and a virgin:

Scripture has rightly mentioned that she was espoused, as well as a virgin; a virgin, that she might appear free from all connexion with man; espoused, that she might not be branded with the disgrace of sullied virginity, whose swelling womb seemed to bear evident marks of her corruption. But the Lord had rather that men should cast a doubt upon His birth than upon His mother's purity.

On "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word":

Behold now the humility, the devotion of the Virgin. For it follows, But Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord. She calls herself His handmaid, who is chosen to be His mother, so far was she from being exalted by the sudden promise. ... For about to bring forth One meek and lowly, she was bound herself to shew forth lowliness. As it follows, Be it unto me according to thy word.

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St. Gregory the Great (c. 540–604)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Luke (on Luke 1:35–38) Trans. J. H. Newman, Oxford 1841–1845. Public domain. Full text: https://archive.org/details/CatenaAureaNewEdV4

On "the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee", and the two natures signified:

By the term overshadowing, both natures of the Incarnate God are signified. For shadow is formed by light and matter. But the Lord by His Divine nature is light. Because then immaterial light was to be embodied in the Virgin's womb, it is well said unto her, The power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, that is, the human body in thee shall receive an immaterial light of divinity.

On the Virgin as both handmaid and mother of the Lord:

Through an ineffable sacrament of a holy conception and a birth inviolable, agreeable to the truth of each nature, the same virgin was both the handmaid and mother of the Lord.

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St. Bede the Venerable (c. 673–735)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Luke (on Luke 1:32–33) Trans. J. H. Newman, Oxford 1841–1845. Public domain. Full text: https://archive.org/details/CatenaAureaNewEdV4

On "the Son of the Highest" and "his father David", against Nestorius:

Let Nestorius then cease to say that the Virgin's Son is only man, and to deny that He is taken up by the Word of God into the unity of the Person. For the Angel when he says that the very same has David for His father whom he declares is called the Son of the Highest, demonstrates the one Person of Christ in two natures.