Tradition tells us she was around 15 years old...a virgin, from
an insignificant town in Galilee called Nazareth. She didn’t
know it at the time but on her answer, whether it would be ‘yes’
or ‘no’, rested our salvation. How would she answer the
Angel?...Scripture makes it clear that Mary was “greatly
troubled” by what was said by the Angel and pondered what sort
of greeting this might be. And in this trouble, in this trying
to understand what was being asked of her, we hear the response
that allowed God to become Man.
How did Mary have the courage…a girl of 15…not knowing fully or
maybe even partially what the implications of her yes to God
would mean…not knowing whether or not her husband to be would
understand, how could he? Not knowing that this child promised
her would be born in a manger, a feeding place for animals. Not
knowing that she would have to flee from her home country
because her child was being hunted down to be murdered by the
Romans. Not knowing that she would stand weeping in the midst of
an angry mobbed that ravenously screamed for the torture and
crucifixion of her Son. Not knowing she would stand with only
one of His disciples at the foot of her Son’s cross as he
breathed his last……. Not knowing that this same man, this
God-man, would open the gates of heaven, and save the entire
world. How did she have the courage?
In my own personal prayer about this mystery, the Annunciation,
I imagine Mary at the time of her response, with her eyes closed
gently, with her hands, extended and open in front of her. I
imagine at that moment Mary went into the deepest recesses of
her heart, a place of profound communion with her creator…I
imagine she recalled her Father, her heavenly Father…and from
her knowledge of Him, and His love for her, arose her
response,…it rose up past the fear, the excitement, the anxiety,
the wonder that swarmed about her…I imagine she lifted her head,
looked at the Angel Gabriel with Immaculate peace and said,
“Gabriel, look at me, – I am the Lord’s daughter and his
servant, may it be done unto me according to your word – I trust
so deeply in God’s love for me, and his power over all things,
that it would be foolishness to do anything other than what he
wants, to follow any other plan than the one he has for my
life…Let it be done to me as you have said. I trust fully in my
God because I see him in truth for who he is…my Loving Father
who will never abandon or forsake me. I trust that he knows
what’s best for me, and wants what’s best for me, and will
always do what’s best for me. I trust in his plan, I trust in
his love, so go Gabriel, run back to God and tell him “Yes”, let
it be done…tell him to take all of me, whatever he wants, take
my life, I give it all to Him…let it be done as he desires…I
know how deeply he loves me and I trust him…with my very own
life. Thank you Mary.
Our Mother’s courage, her response of “Yes” to God, arose from
her knowledge and belief in God’s love for her.
We too know (at least in part) how deeply God loves us. We might
not always feel it, but feelings, though important, are not the
same as knowledge. So if it’s the feeling of God’s love your
grasping after, stop grasping, look at the Cross, look at the
Eucharist and choose to believe.
Dear Mother Mary, we too know (at least in part) how deeply God
loves us. Heal the blindness of our hearts, that we might see
him for who he truly is: Our all-powerful, Loving Father, who
only desires what’s best for us. Help us Mother, to open our
hearts wider this day, to receive more deeply his love, and thus
become witnesses of his love, to a broken world. We ask this of
you Mother, as we kneel before your Son and in His Name…Amen.
Joseph Freedy is a Seminarian at the Pontifical North American College
in Rome studying for the
Diocese of Pittsburg. He will be ordained a Deacon on Oct. 4, 2007.
OUR
LADY'S RESPONSE