Who is Mary?

Today, I was asked to offer a reflection for our community on today's mass readings.  As we get ever so closer to the celebration of Christmas, we heard the story of the Annunciation (Lk 1:26-38).

"Annunciation" by Philadelphia artist H.O. Tanner

Who is Mary?  Who is this woman that we seek to model and follow on our path of discipleship towards Jesus?  Who is this Mary that we vow our honor to?  Who is Mary?  

Who is Mary?  The Angel Gabriel tells us that she is a young woman, betrothed to Joseph.  She is full of grace, and God is with her.  She is the mother of Jesus, the Son of God.  She is filled with the Holy Spirit.  She has found favor with God.  When we think of Mary, all these things come to mind, and truly they are correct.

Who is Mary?  However, as I was praying with these readings, I discovered another side of Mary.  We are told in the story of the Annunciation that Mary was greatly troubled.  She didn’t understand what the Angel was saying.  She stopped and pondered.  Her reaction wasn’t an immediate response to God.  She couldn’t believe the words of the Angel, even asking “How can this be?”    Here, we find a confused and bewildered young woman.

In these ways, she is similar to Ahaz of the first reading (Is 7:10-14).  He didn’t understand the request of the Lord from the mouth of the prophet.  He, too, seemed to question God’s plan.  And, as we heard yesterday, Mary is like Zachariah (Lk 1:5-25) who was troubled and fearful when the angel appeared.  He questioned the plan of God and could not believe the words of the angel.  Three people who were asked something from God and questioned God.

But, at the same time, Mary is so very different from these two.  Whereas Ahaz refused to respond to God, and whereas Zechariah refused to believe, Mary did respond to God and she did believe.  Who is Mary?  She is the woman who, despite her fear, despite her confusion, despite the difficulty of believing, said “Yes.”  Mary is the woman of great trust and hope.  She is the woman who believed that the Holy Spirit would fill her with God’s graces.  She is the woman who courageously said “I am your servant” and in doing so, changed the world. 

I am reminded of the song "Breath of Heaven" made popular by many artists.  It expresses many of the sentiments of Mary’s “yes.”  In the form of a prayer, the refrain of the song is:

Breath of Heaven, hold me together 

Be forever near me, Breath of Heaven
Breath of Heaven, lighten my darkness

Pour over me Your holiness for You are holy
Breath of Heaven

In poetic terms, we might imagine that this was Mary’s prayer, and it is the difference that sets her apart from the others.  She trustingly prays for God’s breath to overcome her, and she knows it will.  She prays for God to be near, and she knows that God is with her.  She prayers for light in her darkness, and she knows that God will illumine her life.  She prays for God to pour out God’s grace, and she knows that God will give her the needed grace.

Who is Mary?  She is the one who trusted the love and will of God.  She is the one who could say “yes” even though she was afraid and confused.  Mary is our model of faith and trust in God.  Let us go forth this day, trying to have this same trust in God, trying to be like Mary – praying to know the Breath of heaven in our lives.

Ciao!