In those days there were miraculous preparations in advance of the child Christ.
At the time of the spring equinox, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, in Galilee, to the bride of Joseph, of the house of David. Joseph was betrothed to a young girl named Mary, daughter of Anne and conceived through union with the Holy Spirit. Mary lived in her own house.
Gabriel came to Mary, arms full of lilies to honor her. He said: hail Mary, you live in Grace. The Lord is with you.
And Mary was frightened of the angel’s intentions. Gabriel told her: try to be brave and calm, the path of your life has found favor with God. Even now, bright life grows inside you. You shall bear a son and name him Jesus; he will affect the earth greatly. He is the Son of the Most High, who will grant him the throne of David his father. He will rule the house of Jacob and his reign will never end.
Mary asked the angel how it could happen. She told him she had never slept with a man.
And the angel said: the Holy Spirit will come upon you, overcome you. The child to be born will not be the son of Joseph. He will be the Son of God. Gabriel said: I have been as well to Elizabeth, your cousin, past the age of bearing children. She too has conceived a child through assist of the Lord.
(The child Elizabeth carried would be John the Baptist.)
Gabriel said: Nothing is impossible for God.
Mary told the angel she was the servant of the Lord and that it should be done to her according to his plan.
And Gabriel left her.
And Mary made quick preparations to visit Elizabeth near the Old City of Jerusalem.