text: This is a lovely meditation, and nicely ensconced in real life humour, but I am confused.  Gift is defined by the author as necessarily involving a giving and reciprocal acceptance. At conception Mary was in no "position" to accept, so the author skips 13 or 14 years to the Angel Gabriel subbing for the impregnating Spirit. Not a credible connection. Did God intrinsically (ontologicaly) alter Mary at her conception?
  The way the author describes it, God seems to have "set her up" for her future role. I don't understand the reference that it was "not so different" from our Baptism.  So it was different? How? This is getting close to predestination to me and even closer to the dehumanization of Mary that distances her from being my mother. It is a sweeter and more palatable sterilization of Mary by associating only Mary's mom with the aches, pains and transformations of pregnancy.
  If Mary was "ontologically" elevated at conception - woman priest? Birth Jesus - Eucharist? Immplication....?