Friday, December 20, 2013

The Annunciation and Two Saints, 1333, Simone Martini and his brother-in-law Lippo Memmi.
Painted for the altar of Sant'Ansano in the Cathedral of Siena.

Luke 1:26-38

I am fond of Simone Martini's painting of the moment when the archangel Gabriel appears before St. Mary, the mother of Jesus.   Like a snapshot, Martini's painting focuses our attention on one moment of the story told by Luke; the instant when Gabriel addresses Mary, saying, "Greetings, O favoured one, the Lord is with you!" An alternate interpretation of Gabriel's greeting is "Rejoice, you who are transformed by God's grace" (Ignace de la Potterie).  And Mary, says Luke, was greatly troubled at these words and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.

As you ponder the painting and words of Gabriel's greeting, what do you see and hear?

Luke's story tells of a conversation between Mary and Gabriel, but the account focuses on the encounter between Mary and God.  As in the stories of the Old Testament prophets, God chooses and calls Mary, and as in the stories of the Old Testament prophets, Mary objects.  "How can this be?"  she asks when the angel tells her she will have a great son who will be given the throne of his father David.  Nowhere in the Bible does God respond to such protests by saying, "Okay, you've convinced me.  You aren't qualified enough to do this job I am asking you to do" and God doesn't say this to Mary either.  Instead, God offers Mary the reassurance that God's very presence will be with her.  That consolation is enough for Mary and she says yes.

Like Mary we are all being called by God and that call may be disturbing or disruptive.   Perhaps like Martini's portrait of Mary we are shrinking away from what God is asking us to do or live into.  In the midst of our resistance and objections can we hear God telling us, "Don't be afraid.  I am with you.  With me, nothing is impossible."?

Like Mary, will we risk being transformed by God's grace?

- Marilyn Malton