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Malankara Catholic Church
In Botticelli’s painting, Mary is listening closely to the words of Gabriel. In His message he tells her all she needs to know, but God does not tell her everything. Mary is not a stupid woman, and nor is she naïve. She knows that carrying a child before she is married is punishable by death. She knows the social disgrace she is opening up for herself if she says yes. But she does not ask how God will take care of these things, but only how the act of conception will take place, and upon hearing that nothing is impossible for God, she is satisfied.
In the same way, my spiritual director reminds me that although I try to make logical sense out of every decision before I make it, faith does not need me to be so distrusting. I can ask all the questions I want and wait until I get answer, or I can come to a point where simply jump like Mary did, and trust that God will take care of me and lead the rest of the way, so long as I stay close to Him. To hear a priest say that to you in probably one of the most frightening things for a person to hear, but faith by its nature is frightening. The comfort comes from knowing that it is my choice to say yes to God, and the pain and uncertainty is not forced on me, but is lovingly proposed to me.
Mary did not know the extent of the pain she would be going through, nor if she will survive, or exactly how Christ will establish His reign, but it is her truly extraordinary and heroic faith and trust that allows for the salvation of us all. She took her life day by day, saying yes to God’s proposals each moment, and that was her heroism. May all of us take from the Annunciation both the courage and love of Mary, and the understanding of God’s passionate, patient, loving proposals. Nisha Mary Thomas