"Blessed are you among women!"
The Word: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121921.cfm
Back in December of 2015 the popular National Geographic magazine published a cover picture and story that caught the eye of many. That special issue in time for Christmas was entitled: “Mary – The most powerful woman in the world.” It’s pretty rare that a secular magazine, especially one normally dedicated to science, would bestow such a title on the Mother of Jesus who we as Catholics honor so reverently. Surprisingly this was a story not on geography or science but on faith.
As usual, the article was filled with
beautiful and moving photos of people and places showing great devotion and the
claim of miracles. It takes us around
the world to well-known religious pilgrimage sites concerned with confirmed
Marian apparitions like: Lourdes, Fatima, Guadalupe, Kibeho in Africa and
others. The main focus of the article I
found very moving. The journalist
described the effect of Marian belief on people and culture and allows the
reader to make up their own mind as to its value. For those of us in the Catholic world we find
such writings on Mary comforting and inspiring.
However, there is no doubt this simple woman
from Nazareth continues to make a significant difference in the lives of many.
Her power is not one of politics or the military or some new scientific
breakthrough. Her power is one of
obedience, humility, and faith.
On this last Sunday of our Advent journey,
the beautiful Gospel passage from Luke, one of my favorites frankly, takes us
to the scene of the visit between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth. It is an encounter of great joy. Mary, after being visited by the Angel
Gabriel with his mysterious request, travels south to see her older cousin
Elizabeth after hearing that although she is beyond child bearing years and had
never borne a child, through the grace of God Elizabeth has conceived a child
for the first time. Through natural means yet miraculous for its timing and
connection to Mary’s child.
When they greet each other, the scene is
filled with praise and joy to recognize what God has done for them. Elizabeth rejoices as she addresses Mary:
“Blessed are you among women” then refers to her young cousin as the “mother of
my Lord.” It certainly does shine a bright light on this simple young virginal
girl from a tiny obscure village in the north of Israel. It does indeed make
her the most privileged woman among all others. And, as Elizabeth addressed
her, the mother of God (Lord).
But, this moment is more than just a meeting
of two unique ancient women who would have never been known if it were not for
their choice by God. As we draw close to
Christmas it reminds us of the mystery of God’s work in sending his Son among
us. It reminds us that as Mary went to Elizabeth to announce the good news of
God’s promise to a broken world so too, at this point in Advent, she comes to
us for the same.
It recalls for us, as Bishop Robert Barron
shares, the invitation of God to categorically step in to space and time, into
our world which has been broken by sin, and to bring the good news in Jesus of
God’s mercy and promise to rescue us. After hundreds of years of silence with
no voice of a prophet being heard, John, the son of Elizabeth, leaps for joy at
the sound of Mary’s voice who bears Jesus for whom John would point the way as
the last prophet to the greatest one of all. God now takes center stage and
through Mary’s surrender steps in to our world.
The tension for us in this modern world is to
think that I am the director of my own life, I make my own choices, I freely
choose where I go, what I do, and who I invite to participate in my own life; I
call the shots and arrange my players accordingly. I will invite God to participate in my life
if I so choose. Our present day culture
which is so centered on the individual and my rights and my freedoms and my
free choice saturates us. The
significance of the Christmas story is that God found individuals who put their
own plans aside and submitted to his will. Those who put aside their own agenda’s
to allow God to use them for his. The same choice is offered to every one of us
in our individual unique way according to how God wishes us to be.
Being the Creator of all things he could have
chosen to come anyway he would like to.
He chose to come in smallness.
Not through great and influential people in the large and dominant
Empires of the ancient world. He chose a
different course; that of the simple and obscure. Instead of Jerusalem or Rome he came to an
unknown girl in the tiny village of Nazareth. God directed this drama from the
beginning and continues to do so.
So, this is a God who entered our lives in a
fully human way through a simple mother who became, because of her cooperation
with God’s strange request, “blessed among women.” So, the power which Mary has
is the willingness to submit her will to a much greater force.
He came to invite, to heal and to
forgive. To gather back together what
was scattered and broken. All of this
was made possible through the “yes” of this simple girl named Mary. She submitted to God’s direction and great
things happened. She isn’t just a footnote or an afterthought or a temporary
biological means to become a human being.
Mary stands during this Advent season as a
direct link of how God freely chose to come among us – as one like ourselves.
She is a maternal image for all of us and directly leads us to her Son. This
coming Christmas season, we recognize his place as center in our lives in our
daily walk, in the Eucharist and in his word but as a family, God has
given us a mother who is a model for every Christian disciple.
All of this is contained in Mary’s “yes” to
the angel and in her visit to Elizabeth which then calls to us to make final
preparation for her son’s coming among us.
The Geographic article has an interesting
insight when it quotes a student of theology named Maria Garcia who wrote:
“Mary brings us to Jesus, who is the light of the world, just as Jewish mothers
light the Shabbat candles. ‘We see the relationship of Mary with us isn’t just
any relationship – it’s sacred.’” Mary’s “let it be done” is a powerful prayer
in itself. How comfortable am I to say
the same?
Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord,
your grace into our hearts,
that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ
your Son
was made known by the message of an Angel,
may be his Passion and Cross
be brought to the glory of his Resurrection.
Who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
(Opening Prayer of Mass)
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