From Flirting to Deciding
We are but four days from Christmas. As I continue to read and reflect on the movement from Advent to Christmas, a couple words and one particular art piece have been braided together for me.
A poor, young Jewish girl named Mary has an encounter with a messenger of the Divine. A startling scene. And then we are told that Mary was “greatly troubled” by the proclamation spoken to her. But Mary doesn’t run, she doesn’t scream and call security. Mary “wonders,” and then asks a question of the messenger, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” She neither denies it or speak in definitive language.
Mary flirts with divine possibility.
She seems to be caught up in a wobbly wonder. Mary’s intrigue provokes her to ask a logistical question surrounding the biology of it all, which is understandable. But let’s not miss the fact that Mary flirts.
In one of my Advent readings about Mary, Father William Bausch highlights that, “to flirt with God had its unspeakable joys but also its cost.”
Because when the time came for the birth of this divine child, the announcement traces out the danger, “to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” This of course means that Caesar in Rome is not Savior, nor is Herod in Jerusalem. This means that there isn’t any president that is Lord. Savior and Lord would not befound in a military general or governor or mayor or political party.
For Mary to accept this is not to find her as blushing cutely. No, this is a dangerous decision that will turn her life upside down. Which leads to a piece of art that has grabbed my attention.
The award winning artist, Megan Marlatt, captures “The Annunciation” in a stunning way. You can see the painting at the bottom of this post. In the painting, the divine messenger appears to Mary upside down, with the word that is uttered to her by the messenger, “blessed” being found backwards. Brilliant.
Because for Mary to make the decision to accept this invitation, it will flip everything upside down. Mary’s “Yes’”would leave her to be viewed as living backwards amongst her community.
Which raises all sorts of questions for us, today. Questions on why so many in the American church have chosen to have an affair with the government, working hard to try and baptize any one political party. Or continuing to plead with empire to baptize the church. And when this dysfunctional love affair unravels, some in the church claim persecution? It’s heartbreaking and devastating.
When Mary responds to the messenger’s invitation with the words, “May it be to me according to your word,” she is actually making a bold, dangerous, and socially unpopular decision. Mary is opening herself up to public ridicule and social exclusion, with many moments in which Mary will feel… alone.
Mary has to accept drastic change. Because Mary is going to give birth to the One who will inaugurate a New Creation, which will highlight the empire’s fragility and inability to nourish.
Mary moves from flirting with possibility to accepting the eternal trajectory.
Can you imagine how much Mary had to let go of? Mary’s life is marked by surrender, sacrifice, and a life of serving and giving. And yet it is also drenched in JOY. Through song, Mary proclaims she will forever be called…
BLESSED.
From here, we will see the life of the faithful as one marked by…
living simply
giving generously
acting justly and speaking kindly.
A life marked by fidelity to the Eternal. And in the midst of a year that has functioned as “The Great Reveal,” my hope and prayer is that our allegiance would be found in this way of living.
