Scripture Focus: Luke 1:26-56
Each time I pray the rosary, contemplating on the holy mysteries of God's work in the Incarnate Word of Jesus Christ - my faith is deepened; I wrestle with difficult questions only to find God's grace in the Spirit of Christ - we are all wandering and in search of communion with God - through Christ the crossroads of darkness is eclipsed by the light of mercy of God's grace. We are no longer living in exile - through Christ we have the authority of grace and mercy and hope. Christ makes the Spirit of God present in our being - for the Holy Spirit has always been anchoring God's creation - yet sin left a rift too far to cross, a chasm too deep - this longing for God is the cup of life and is fulfilled in the cup of Christ - springing forth in the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The majesty of God is that while Our Creator works miracles - beyond comprehension - God's greatest acts of love are simple in nature - and at the same time their simplicity and grace reveal is nature more fully - as a loving Father, a healer, and a God who though all powerful - still nurtures the weak and the destitute. God's greatest miracle is the life of Christ for God is life - God is love and love is the force of life in the Spirit...life without the spirit is not life at all, but merely dust that shall fall away into soil and die. Life without love is void of true life because all creation is formed by love and without the loving Spirit of God at work in creation - we have nothing but darkness - even in light - the darkness is binding - if love is absent. Even a scientist cannot look at the soil or a mountain and not realize the magnitude and wonder of the science and care, even in chaos that formed miraculous canyons and oceans - the complex web of DNA and life itself.
People argue about the origins of the universe - they debate over the science and theology. God is above that - God's love itself uses science and nature, miracles and wonders to weave the tapestry of the earth and all the universe. While all things on earth are created from something - God created the earth out of nothing and the symphony of his love is manifest in our own creative process. God both compels us to question and demand answers, while in the end being willing to meet HIM in the simplest of graces and in Simple Grace we discover the biggest miracle of all - that even the smallest fragment of light - a scintilla of light - will penetrate darkness - and even the smallest light from God is strong enough to ignite a fire of love in the world.
The Joyful Mysteries in a time of sci-fi fantasy high digital technology might seem small in a world where we are talking about missions to Mars - many say - why would an all powerful God reveal HIMSELF as a thread in an ordinary patchwork - through miracles that modern society deems irrelevent or crude? God born as a child? God heals the sick and suffering through laying on hands - not flashy acts of healing that quake at the power of God to the point - no one would dare question HIS authority - God dying on a cross of wood and suffering? In human connotations this appears as the antithesis of the world and what we expect of God.
God is bigger than our expectations and in the end God does not need to show His power and majesty - the world, creation and life itself is a testament to God's grace and power. God's power is not visible at best through his infinite power of dazzling tricks and mind blowing exhibits - the greatest love and greatest power is to lay down a person's life for their loved ones...God in demonstrating HIS humility, innocence, grace, fortitude, perseverance and care in Christ - is the greatest power we will ever witness - even more magnificent than the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone's geysers - for God sowed those with love, but His word, but the life of the Spirit is not in the soul of the earth - God's power is best seen in life and in rising from death - showing His power is not defined by time or place or human restrictions and prejudices - God's justice through Christ is perfect and his power of mercy is a light that darkness can never overtake.
Any man of power and prestige can rise to the ranks of a king, but for a king to lay down His life, for God Himself to face the life and death as the incarnation of His creation - so that His creation will not suffer against the law of sin - that is power of joyful magnitude itself. The power of God Himself serving creation and living and walking amongst us is power so otherworldly we cannot fathom it - our hearts are too marred by temporary gain to see eternity - unless we submit to the cross of Christ- the crossroads between the power of light and dark, the bridge of being a slave to the world and a child of God. It is a struggle we will always tangle our hearts in and yet with each knot untied we draw closer to God, even if some mysteries and questions remain unanswered. God is love, we can rest in that eternal power, even when the temporal pains and sufferings mar the light as the total eclipse of the moon - life is a beating heart - life is more than flesh and cells - life is SPIRIT and light, truth and being born from above
I open with this rambling introduction because it is easy to lose sight of the true awesomeness of God in the life of CHRIST and the Joy of HIS LIVING Presence - bridging the great chasm between flesh and spirit - so that we will no longer fear the darkness, but purge it with HIS Life everlasting.
The Joyful Mysteries guide us closer to God's mercy in action and remind us of the Simple Graces God grants us in creation every day that we take for granted.
1. The Annunciation:
The Angel Gabriel coming to Mary is not doubt a miracle - a joy and a fear...the fear of God is a humility of meeting the greatness of God illuminated against the weakness of our flesh. Mary is honest and able to admit both her fear and awe. Mary can perceive and question the visit - pondering and also faithfully seeking God's trust and answering His call. Mary is faithful to God and all the while in this faith she does not betray her truth - Her fear of God and questioning of 'what does this mean' is her honesty - her fear of God is not betrayal in this case of trust but in fact being completely sincere in her approach to trusting God - Mary shows us that we must always be honest with God while also in that honesty searching to accept HIS call and HIS graces in our life. Mary shows humility and strength. She openly converses with God's will through Gabriel, trusting God and accepting HIS call.
While the Annunciation is the miraculous call of God's intercession with humanity and the commencement of His plans for salvation - long promised and fulfilled through Mary's womb through Christ - God Incarnate - the Annunciation is relevant to us in several ways:
- Mary being full of grace and able to carry God Incarnate in her womb is a reversal of Eve's betrayal and is a reconciliation of the flesh and blood of humanity with the Spirit of God. By Mary's saying 'Yes' to God with a willing heart full of faith and thanksgiving and humility - God is able to restore the relationship and wholeness of His Creation.
- We must first meditate on this mystery as the acknowledgement of God's grace and God's goodness to work through humanity and accomplishing his fulfillment of mercy through human interaction - this shows God to not only be loving, honest and true to HIS covenant - it shows God's desire to delight in a relationship with us and for us to delight in Him not for simple adoration of HIS Awesome Power (we must do that as well), but also the purest form of love and desire for God above even the glories of God's creation on the earth. A desire of God to announce that HIS desire for creation is out of love and HIS desire for us to hope in Him and trust in HIM and love HIM as Creator, Father, Friend and Savior. God is the creator of all things - through Christ we are no longer bound to sin. Mary shows us that by saying yes to God's call we recognize that God is more important than the created world - for God created all things and His power and grace is greater than even the greatest of the world's creations - God's great quality is love. Mary exhibits a love of God - not for the sake of merit or ownership of God, but true reciprocal love in human capacity. Even this measure of love is acknowledged as a grace coming from God.
- What this means for us?
-First off we must remember that nothing is impossible for God and that the Word of God stands true and is forever. If we know that God's Word is truth and HIS will, will be done then we can trust in HIS Word - which is God's action in our lives and throughout the course of time, for God's word is not bound by space and time.
Say YES to God, and submitting fully to God...this is the core message of the mystery of the Annunciation - yet as I dig deeper I discover a plethora of spiritual truths reflecting our human nature in communion and isolation from God. Mary recognizes the Word of God is truth and answers the call to God with a resounding YES: "Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Mary emphasized 'word' knowing God's word is God Himself - God does not go against His word and His word is binding - Mary chose God's will in choosing His Word.
Mary is immaculate in grace and yet she questions God - true faith is not always just saying 'yes' to God without question - true faith is often refined by our total trust in God - not as a manner simply of fear of condemnation - but the trust of knowing God's plans are better than our plans. God also does not wish us to hide behind silent submission when we struggle with our crosses - God wants us to be honest with Him and lay our burdens and concerns at HIS feet - trusting He will help us to understand and something in that act of questioning we realize the answer - God is in control and questioning God's ability to act in a situation is human perspective - with God all things are possible. So where is the chasm between questioning God as an act of unbelief and an act of faith - Mary is an example of being honest and humble before God - her questioning is not doubting God's work or call as much as asking and pondering - why me and how can I serve you? This makes her service more remarkable to me because if Mary said yes without pondering the implications on her reputation, her body and her soul - she would not have made the choice in faith. God wants us to have dialog with Him, while we should avoid complaining of His lack of perceived goodness or doubting His ability to act in our lives - it is better to be honest before God and seek answers and dialogue in HIS Spirit rather than silently question without bringing cares to God. We can build a bridge to God's grace by trusting Him with questions and in return we also must be willing to let go of questions and actively allow God to breakthrough - Mary is a wonderful example of submitting to God and hearing HIS call.
The Visitation:
Mary's decision to visit her cousin Elizabeth is an act of love, charity and humility. While some could argue Mary did this to find out if her cousin was really pregnant and her own role in salvation history would be fulfilled - this is a narrow-minded perspective that is not scripturally accurate. Mary is the the opposite of our perspective of seeking evidence - the covenant with God is enough for her to trust in His actions. By questioning God for the terms of service, Mary commits fully to Him. Her decision to visit Elizabeth is drawn by the grace to serve others in need, even in the midst of our own glorious hopes and triumphs and trials. Mary's greatest triumph was also her greatest trial - being a virgin and pregnant was scandalous and Mary chose service and love over selfishness.
Elizabeth's salutation of Mary is an address of a maid to a queen and yet Elizabeth does this to glorify Mary, not by Mary but God - Mary recognizes that any glory she has in Christ is to point the way to her son - God incarnate - which is also the way of John the Baptist.
"When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth , filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, 'Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"
Elizabeth's blessing of Mary is a reflection of her character as a woman who loved God and allowed the call of the Holy Spirit's voice to fill her and her own womb as John the Baptist also leapt for joy at Christ in Mary. The blessing is a reflection of Elizabeth's belief that anything is possible through the Word of God.
Elizabeth is a great servant and heart full of God's love - she has a hope and trust in God her husband does not have, in spite of his being a Rabbi. I will reflect on Elizabeth in another post.
Mary's humility is her service more than the charity - because true humility is not saying you are not worthy - true humility is not a lack of confidence - true humility in God is knowing that it is not all about you and that your glory is God's glory and in God we are called to serve.
Mary is praised by Elizabeth, who is praising God's work in Mary: Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb...and Mary instead of accepting the praise as her own turns it over to God in the canticles of canticles: The Magnificat
Luke 1:46-55English Standard Version (ESV)
Mary's Song of Praise: The Magnificat
46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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