In the history of believers, there are remarkable women.
But Mary—Maryam—stands apart.
She is not just another woman:
she is a woman unlike any other, undeniably chosen, honored, and visited by God.
In the Bible, the angel greets her like this:
« Hail, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women. »(Luke 1:28)
In the Quran, God addresses these powerful words to him:
Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala says:
وَاِ ذْ قَا لَتِ الْمَلٰٓئِكَةُ يٰمَرْيَمُ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ اصْطَفٰٮكِ وَطَهَّرَكِ وَا صْطَفٰٮكِ عَلٰى نِسَآءِ الْعٰلَمِيْنَ
“(Remember) when the angels said, ‘O Mary, indeed Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds.’” (QS. Al-‘Imran 3: Verse 42)
Two traditions.
Two scriptures.
One truth: Mary is chosen.
Her greatness lies not in the miracle she bears, but in the faith with which she receives it.
She doesn’t understand everything, but she says yes.
She doesn’t have control, but she trusts.*
When the angel visited her, Mary simply replied:
« Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word. » (Luke 1:38)
And the Quran describes her in the same inner state:
وَمَرْيَمَ ابْنَتَ عِمْرٰنَ الَّتِيْۤ اَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيْهِ مِنْ رُّوْحِنَا وَصَدَّقَتْ بِكَلِمٰتِ رَبِّهَا وَكُتُبِهٖ وَكَا نَتْ مِنَ الْقٰنِتِيْنَ
« She believed the words of her Lord and she was one of those who submitted. » (QS. At-Tahrîm 66: Verse 12)
It is no coincidence that an entire surah bears her name — Maryam — and that her name appears more often in the Quran than in the Bible: her story is a universal testimony.
Mary endures confusion, the judgment of others, loneliness, and pain.
She gives birth alone, far from her family, but God sustains her (Quran, Surah 19:22-26).
She sees her Son rejected, misunderstood, crucified according to the Bible… and yet, she remains steadfast in faith, like a woman who has chosen God over his explanations.
Mary is a model because she allowed God to work great things in her.
She teaches us that:
•God can begin a work we do not yet understand.
•Faith is not about knowing everything, but about surrendering everything to God.
•A miracle does not replace obedience; it is its reward.
•Grace is manifested in a humble heart, not in human strength.
Mary, a woman unlike any other, reminds believers today that:
• God still visits those who open themselves to Him.
• God still lifts up the humble.
• God still accomplishes the impossible.
• God still writes extraordinary stories
through ordinary lives.
Her story is not meant to be idolized, but to inspire us to imitate her faith.
In conclusion, Mary is a woman unlike any other
because she allowed God to make of her all that He had planned.
Anyone who dares to say yes to God with the same faith,
can, in turn, become a story of grace.
PRAYER:
Lord, grant me the humility of Mary, the trust of Mary,
the availability of Mary.
That I, in turn, may say:
« Let it be done to me according to your word. »
And may your will be my peace.
Amen.
Apostle Dr. Jean-Claude SINDAYIGAYA