Gabriel’s opening words are: “Hail,
full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women.” Mary made
no reply. Gabriel misunderstood her silence. Perhaps remembering Zachary, he
told her not to be afraid. Clearly he did not yet know her very well. Contact
with Zachary was no preparation at all for understanding Mary of Nazareth. Her
silence was not from terror, but from perplexity—she was “much perplexed at
hearing him speak so, and cast about in her mind what she was to make of such a
greeting.” (Frank J. Sheed, To Know Christ Jesus [Sheed and Ward Educational;
London: Sheed and Ward Ltd., 1972], 17)