Gideon, Gabriel, Mary, and Guts

(From John William Waterhouse, via FineArtAmerica.com, used w/o permission.)

This morning's Gospel reading is Luke 1:26-38. That's the bit that starts with:

"¹⁰ In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,

"to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary.

"And coming to her, he said, 'Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.' "
(Luke 1:26-28)

This comes a little after an account of Gabriel's interview with Zachariah, Luke 1:10-20. That's when Gabriel personally delivers God's response to Zachariah's prayer: and Zachariah demands proof.

Zachariah got proof, all right. He wasn't able to talk for for months. That didn't stop until he agreed with his wife about his son's name: in writing. Elizabeth's name for the boy was John, the same name Gabriel had specified:

"¹⁸ When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,

"but his mother said in reply, 'No. He will be called John.'

"But they answered her, 'There is no one among your relatives who has this name.'

"So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.

"He asked for a tablet and wrote, 'John is his name,' and all were amazed.

"Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God."
(Luke 1:59-64)

Different Questions, Different Responses

I don't know why Zachariah's and Mary's questions got different responses. It's hard enough to figure out what goes on in the head of another human, let alone one of the few angels named in the Bible, and I'm getting off-topic.

Maybe it's my imagination, but Gabriel's response to Zachariah seems a tad testy:

"And the angel said to him in reply, 'I am Gabriel, ⁸ who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.

"But now you will be speechless and unable to talk ⁹ until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.' "
(Luke 1:19-20)

Now that I think of it, Zachariah's question was unnecessary: if Elizabeth was pregnant, he'd have his proof in a few months. Mary's question made more sense: "how can this be, since I have no relations with a man?"

Besides, Gabriel would know that he'd be taking orders from this young woman: and I'm getting ahead of the story. (November 1, 2014; August 18, 2013)

Tacky Religious Art and Idolatry

Not all Americans believe that Catholics worship Mary and follow the antichrist, but some do. A few of these goofy assumptions have a bit of truth in them: a tiny bit.

Tacky religious art and fallout from Henry VIII's takeover don't help.

It was decades before I realized that Guido Reni's painting didn't make Mary look like she'd been coshed — or had one too many margaritas — and that's another topic. Topics. (August 17, 2013; September 2, 2012)

The Catholic Church has rules, but we're not actually forbidden to do much. One of the 'don't do this' items involves Mary, Saints, and the tree outside my window.

As a Catholic, I must worship God: nobody, nothing, else. No exceptions. We call putting Mary, Saints, family, Elvis, or any other creature, above God idolatry. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2083-2084, 2112-2114)

We should, anyway. Catholics, like anyone else, don't always act the way we should, or understand our faith: and that's yet another topic.

We respect Mary and the other Saints, but we don't worship them. Veneration isn't worship, and I've been over that before. (April 16, 2011)

Mary and 'Happy Days' America

More recently — by my standards, which means in the last half-century — there's been a new criticism of Catholic attitudes toward Mary. I've read that she's a terrible role model because she's submissive.

Attitudes and assumptions about women in 'Happy Days' America didn't help. My opinion. I remember the 'good old days' when "she's smart as a man" was supposed to be a compliment, and never, ever, want to go back. (February 9, 2014; May 26, 2013; February 3, 2009)

I was one of 'those crazy kids' in the '60s and early '70s, and thought change was needed: but I didn't didn't buy the notion that men and women are different because we're raised differently. I'd seen men and women. On average, we don't look — or act — alike. Most of us like it that way, and I'm drifting off-topic again.

Then there were dreadfully 'spiritual' stories about Mary - - - Mary isn't the only one with a bowdlerized biography. I think we're getting past the days when Jesus gets presented as a wispy, inoffensive, Caspar Milquetoast. I hope so, anyway. (April 7, 2010; February 15, 2010)

Submissive? Maybe

Moses tried to talk his way out of being sent to Egypt, Gideon complained when an angel told him "The LORD is with you, O champion!" (Exodus 4:1; Judges 6:13)

After Gabriel outlined how she could have a son, Mary said:

"Mary said, 'Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.' Then the angel departed from her."
(Luke 1:38)

Remember: Mary was almost certainly in her teens at the time, unmarried, and living in a society that was unsympathetic at best toward unwed mothers.

Maybe her "may it be done to me" was "submissive."

I think it also took guts, and grit: a quality she'd need, a third of a century later. (April 22, 2011)

More about Mary, people, and getting a grip:

• "Elijah and the 12-Star General"
  (November 1, 2014)
• " 'They Have no Wine' "
  (May 11, 2014)
  Particularly
  • Queen, Yes: Passive, No
  • A Woman of Few Words
• "Married to a Black Belt"
  (May 26, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Those Dreadful Days of Yesteryear
  • Not a Doormat
• "Mary, a Message, and a Mural in Minnesota"
  (August 18, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Two Millennia, One Message
  • Mary, Elvis, and Mayonnaise
  • Veneration, Not Worship
• "Jesus, Mary, and Occam's Razor"
  (December 18, 2012)

"They Have no Wine"

This seemed a good day to talk about motherhood, family, and why Minnesota has the start of fishing season fall on Mother's Day weekend.

My wife says it may be so that mothers can have some time alone. If that's so, Minnesota's DNR blundered. They say this weekend is "Take-a-Mom fishing weekend."

Ephesians and Diapers

'Family' is very important to Catholics, or should be. The Catechism devotes quite a bit of space to what a family is, and how families should work. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2201-2233)

What the Church teaches is not the 'good old fashioned' notion that women are useful household items: ranking somewhere between the dog and the refrigerator in terms of importance and status. I've discussed Ephesians, responsibility, and getting a grip before. (September 24, 2009)

On the other hand, I'm not allowed to see marriage as a casual agreement between consenting adults. For starters, we all have duties: children and parents (Catechism, 2214-2220, 2221-2231).

When I married my wife, I knew what I was signing up for.

Ephesians 5:22-25 points out that as her husband, I must love my wife "even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her."

That sets a high standard, since my Lord washed the disciples' feet: and walked to Golgotha. (John 13:4-7 and Matthew 27:33; for starters)

Considering what my duty might require, I didn't mind cleaning diapers now and then.

Queen, Yes: Passive, No

I expect that we'll pay special attention to Mary at the parish church today. As the mother of my Lord, she has a prominent place in the Catholic Church. That's "prominent," not "top." She is, in a sense, our mother. (Catechism, 484-507, 963-972)

I had a soft spot in my heart, and a great deal of respect, for Mary long before I became a Catholic. (March 20, 2011)

One of her titles, by the way, is Queen (or Lady) of Angels, which is where my parish church got its name.

In movies like "Knights of the Round Table" (1953), queens don't do much other than stir up trouble: intentionally or not. My guess, based on the number of Marian apparitions over the last two millennia, is that Mary is nowhere near as passive as that.

As a Norwegian-Irish American whose mother was as ekte norsk as you're likely to find, I had no trouble thinking of a woman as a sort of 12-star general. I've said that before. There's probably a post lurking around the idea. (August 18, 2013)

Devotion to Mary is a very important part of being Catholic, one which looks odd to many non-Catholics in my native culture. We see Mary as a Saint, someone who "practiced heroic virtue and lived in fidelity to God's grace." (Catechism, 828)

There may be some among the world's 1,100,000,000 or so living Catholics who think Mary is a goddess: but that's idolatry, a very bad idea, and strictly against the rules. (Catechism, 2112-2114)

A Woman of Few Words

(From John William Waterhouse, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)

Let's remember that Mary was quite likely in her teens when Gabriel said, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you."

Gabriel did most of the talking in that meeting, mostly responding to Mary's question: and reassuring her. (Luke 1:26-38)

I don't think that means Mary is timid or diffident. She had the guts to accept an assignment that would be extremely difficult to explain to her family, friends, and neighbors.

Years later, she had this conversation with my Lord:

"¹ On the third day there was a wedding ² in Cana ³ in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

"Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.

"When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, 'They have no wine.'

"(And) Jesus said to her, 'Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.'

"His mother said to the servers, 'Do whatever he tells you.' "
(John 2:1-5)

"Do whatever he tells you" is pretty good advice: and that's another topic.

Vaguely-related posts:

• "Mary, a Message, and a Mural in Minnesota"
  (August 18, 2013)
• "Unconsidered Optimism and Diaper Changing Tables"
  (June 23, 2013)
• "Mother's Day, 2012"
  (May 13, 2012)
• "Family Values: Addams and Otherwise"
  (July 12, 2011)
• "Mother's Day: A Nice Cultural Tradition, and a Quite Catholic Celebration"
  (May 10, 2009)

"In the Beginning:" a Continuing Story

The story starts here:


(From NASA/JPL/STScI Hubble Deep Field Team, used w/o permission.)

"¹ In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth,"
(Genesis 1:1)

About two thousand years ago, my Lord came to live with us.

"^{1 2} In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

"He was in the beginning with God.

"³ All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be

"through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race;

"⁴ the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
(John 1:1-5)

"And the Word became flesh ⁹ and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth."
(John 1:14)

We celebrate his arrival each year around this time.


(From John William Waterhouse, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)

"¹⁰ In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,

"to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary.

"And coming to her, he said, 'Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.'

"But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

"Then the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

"Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.

"He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, ¹¹ and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,

"and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.' "
(Luke 1:26-33)

(From Georges de La Tour, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)

"And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,

"to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

"While they were there, the time came for her to have her child,

"and she gave birth to her firstborn son. ³ She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

"⁴ Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock."
(Luke 2:1-8)

After Jesus was executed, and then stopped being dead, my Lord gave us standing orders:

"¹¹ Then Jesus approached and said to them, 'All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

"Go, therefore, ¹² and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,

"teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. ¹³ And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.' "
(Matthew 28:18-20)

And that's another part of the story.


(From ISS007, used w/o permission.)

Related posts:

• " 'Follow Me:' A Simple Decision, Not an Easy One"
  (June 2, 2013)
• "Genesis to Luke: A Long Journey to Christmas"
  (December 23, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Two Messages
  • All Power in Heaven and Earth"
• "Fasting, Penance: and Infinite Depths of Joy"
  (June 3, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Joy and Jesus
  • Jesus, Joy, and Standing Orders
• "The Man Who Wouldn't Stay Dead"
  (March 11, 2012)
• " 'Blessed are You Who Believed' "
  (December 21, 2011)

Christmas: a Miniature Helicopter; Joy; and Hope

We've been having a nice Christmas get-together in my house. My son-in-law is testing the airworthiness of a miniature helicopter in the other room, my wife is napping upstairs, and I'm taking a break at my desk.

There's more to this season than relatives renewing their bonds and unwrapping gifts:

"...Joy is the true gift of Christmas, not expensive presents that demand time and money.

"We can transmit this joy simply: with a smile, with a kind gesture, with some small help, with forgiveness...."
("Visit to the Roman Parish of Santa Maria Consolatrice," Benedict XVI (December 18, 2005))
(quoted on the USCCB website (2012))

This joy comes, in part, from knowing why we're celebrating. About two thousand years ago, God stepped into the world, getting personally involved:

"¹⁰ In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,

"to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary."
(Luke 1:26-27)

---

"And the Word became flesh ⁹ and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth."
(John 1:14)

Mary's baby grew up; broke the power of sin and death; then left, giving us instructions and a promise:

"¹¹ Then Jesus approached and said to them, 'All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

"Go, therefore, ¹² and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,

"teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. ¹³ And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.' "
(Matthew 28:18-20)

And that's another topic.

More:

• "Midnight Mass - Christmas 2012"
  Benedict XVI (December 24, 2012)
• "Address by the Holy Father on the occasion of Christmas greetings to the Roman Curia"
  Benedict XVI (December 21, 2012 )
• "Visit to the Roman Parish of Santa Maria Consolatrice"
  Benedict XVI (December 18, 2005)

Related posts:

• "Genesis to Luke: A Long Journey to Christmas"
  (December 23, 2012)
• "Christmas in Cuba; The Pope's @Pontifex Twitter Account; News from Mars"
  (December 7, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Christmas in Cuba
• "Advent, Seasonal Strangeness, and Me"
  (December 2, 2012)
• " '...A Savior has been Born for You Who is Messiah and Lord...' "
  (December 25, 2011)
• "Christmas: Mything the Point"
  (December 18, 2011)

Genesis to Luke: A Long Journey to Christmas

I found a pretty good guide for Christmas preparations yesterday:

• Visit a live Nativity scene. Does it help you imagine Jesus's actual birth?
• Read the seventh lesson from our Festival of Lessons & Carols and listen to the podcast.
• Include the O Antiphon for today in your prayer.
• Reflect on the Canticle of Mary in Chapter 1 of Luke's Gospel which is prayed every evening as part of Evening Prayer (or vespers) in the Liturgy of the Hours.

("Saturday of the Third Week of Advent;" December 22, 2012; Advent, Liturgical Resources, Prayer and Worship, USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops))

Minnesota Winters and Live Nativity Scenes

I didn't do the first item on that list. Even if there was a live Nativity scene here in Sauk Centre, I'd greatly prefer staying inside where it's warm.

Central Minnesota's climate is more - varied - than the eastern Mediterranean's.

An average low temperature for this time of year there is about 47 degrees Fahrenheit: above zero. Around here, it's colder. Quite a bit colder. The climate doesn't encourage going outside in reasonable imitations of 1st-century Middle Eastern clothing.

I spend a little time in front of a little Nativity scene my family set up in the living room, though. Did it help me imagine the birth of Jesus? I suppose so: it's a pretty good way to focus attention, at least.

Three Magi

The second item, today's entry in Festival of Lessons & Carols, is about the three wise men who came looking for the "newborn king of the Jews." They checked in with the region's ruler on reaching Jerusalem; and asked for help. (Matthew 2:1-12)

Happily, the magi didn't check in with the king on their way back. Joseph and Mary fled the country, and that's almost another topic.

"Antiphon?"

Number three on the list, the "O Antiphon," went quickly. It's apparently called the "O Antiphon" because each of the seven responses starts with "O."¹

By the way, "antiphon" isn't against anything, quite. The word means "a verse or song to be chanted or sung in response." (Princeton's WordNet)

The Canticle of Mary, and an Online Dictionary

I read the Canticle of Mary, Luke 1:46-55, which took care of part of the list's final item.

Reflecting on that passage from Luke doesn't mean holding a mirror in front of my computer's monitor, although I suppose it could.

"Reflect" means quite a few things. Princeton's WordNet gives an oddly unhelpful definition for the sort of reflecting the USCCB had in mind: "reflect deeply on a subject." (WordNet)

I mean to say: 'reflect means to reflect deeply???' The good news is that they also give a number of synonyms for that meaning:

• Chew over
• Think over
• Meditate
• Ponder
• Excogitate
• Contemplate
• Muse
• Mull
• Mull over
• Ruminate
• Speculate
  (Princeton's (WordNet)

After chewing and thinking over Luke 1:46-55, I meditated, pondered, excogitated (yes it's a real word), contemplated, mused, mulled over, ruminated, and even speculated. I also got distracted by other Advent readings.

By the time I was through, I had the rest of this post written.

A Promise Made, a Promise Kept

The first of those "Festival of Lessons and Carols" lessons included a reading from Genesis 3. That's where Adam tries to blame his wife, and God, for the mess they're in. (Genesis 3:12)

That bit of evasion ended about as well as could be expected. With 20-20 hindsight, we see a hint that humanity had hope:

"Then the LORD God said to the serpent: 'Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures; On your belly shall you crawl, and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life.

"³ I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.' "
(Genesis 3:15)

---

Footnote 3 for Genesis 3 (NAB)

"...He will strike . . . at his heel: since the antecedent for he and his is the collective noun offspring, i.e., all the descendants of the woman, a more exact rendering of the sacred writer's words would be, 'They will strike . . . at their heels.' However, later theology saw in this passage more than unending hostility between snakes and men. The serpent was regarded as the devil (⇒ Wisdom 2:24; ⇒ John 8:44; ⇒ Rev 12:9; ⇒ 20:2), whose eventual defeat seems implied in the contrast between head and heel. Because 'the Son of God appeared that he might destroy the works of the devil' (⇒ 1 John 3:8), the passage can be understood as the first promise of a Redeemer for fallen mankind. The woman's offspring then is primarily Jesus Christ."

Much more recently, God's promise became a bit clearer. (Isaiah 11:1-10)

Then, about two millennia back, everything changed.

Two Messages

Gabriel had a message for an old man. Zachariah asked for proof, and got it. (Luke 1:13-25, particularly Luke 1:20)

Six months later, Gabriel was back, this time with a message for a young woman:

"¹⁰ In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,

"to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary."
(Luke 1:26-27)

Mary had a question, too:

"But Mary said to the angel, 'How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?' ¹²"
(Luke 1:34)

Mary got proof: the unexpected pregnancy of her relative, Elizabeth. (Luke 1:36)

"...Mary's questioning response is a denial of sexual relations and is used by Luke to lead to the angel's declaration about the Spirit's role in the conception of this child (⇒ Luke 1:35). According to Luke, the virginal conception of Jesus takes place through the holy Spirit, the power of God, and therefore Jesus has a unique relationship to Yahweh: he is Son of God."
(Footnote 12 for Luke 1 (NAB))

"All Power in Heaven and Earth"

Mary's son grew up, and was recognized as the Son of God. (Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 16:16)

Later, Jesus of Nazareth was killed, stopped being dead, had a series of meetings with his followers, and gave instructions before leaving. (Matthew 28:9-10;  John 20:26-27; Luke 24:41-43; Matthew 28:19-20)

Quite a bit has happened since then. Kingdoms grew and faded, empires rose and fell, civilizations changed; but those final instructions haven't changed:

"¹¹ Then Jesus approached and said to them, 'All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

"Go, therefore, ¹² and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,

"teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. ¹³ And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.' "
(Matthew 28:18-20)

Methods we use have changed, particularly in the last few decades: and that's another topic.

So are the reasons I'm not upset about what we've been learning, particularly in the last few centuries, about this creation. Lots more topics.

More-or-less-related posts:

• Christmas
  • "Christmas in Cuba; The Pope's @Pontifex Twitter Account; News from Mars"
    (December 7, 2012)
    Particularly
    • Christmas in Cuba
  • "Advent, Seasonal Strangeness, and Me"
    (December 2, 2012)
  • "Christmas: Mything the Point "
    (December 18, 2011)
  • "My Take on the News: Jingle Bells, Jangled Nerves, and Good Advice"
    (December 16, 2011)
    Particularly
    • Holiday Spending
    • Moderation
    • Good Advice
  • "Why I Don't Go Ballistic Over Xmas"
    (December 23, 2010)
• Science
  • "A Little Look at the Big Picture"
    (February 13, 2012)
    Particularly
    • Living With Immensity
  • " 'In a State of Journeying' "
    (January 18, 2012)
    Particularly
    • Thinking About God
    • "In the Beginning - - -"
    • Stuff Changes: Deal With It
  • "When to Call Tech Support, When to Read the Bible"
    (January 14, 2011)
  • "Astrobiology, the Vatican, and the Meaning of Our Existence"
    (November 12, 2009)
  • "Faith and Reason, Religion and Science"
    (March 20, 2009)
    Particularly
    • Darwin and Huxley vs. Ussher and Carlyle
    • What If Darwin Had Been an Astronomer?
• Who we are
  • "Recovering from a Hurricane; Defending Freedom; Studying the Cosmos"
    (November 22, 2012)
    Particularly
    • Of Points and People
  • "Eden - and - Adam and Eve Weren't German?!"
    (May 16, 2012)
  • "Lemming Tracks: Fire; 1,000,000 Years of Sizzling Steaks and Burned Fingers"
    Apathetic Lemming of the North (April 9, 2012)
  • "Humans are Animals: But Not Just Animals"
    (August 31, 2011)
  • "Evidence of Human Compassion: 500,000 Years Ago"
    Apathetic Lemming of the North (October 13, 2010)

---

¹ "O Antiphon:"

"The Roman Church has been singing the "O" Antiphons since at least the eighth century. They are the antiphons that accompany the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer from December 17-23. They are a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well. Their repeated use of the imperative 'Come!' embodies the longing of all for the Divine Messiah."

"December 17
"O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge!

"December 18
"O Leader of the House of Israel, giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: come to rescue us with your mighty power!

"December 19
"O Root of Jesse's stem, sign of God's love for all his people: come to save us without delay!

"December 20
"O Key of David, opening the gates of God's eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness!

"December 21
"O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.

"December 22
"O King of all nations and keystone of the Church: come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!

"December 23
"O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God!"
(From "Catholic Household Blessings & Prayers")

Celebrating Another Empty Grave

I don't generally go to Mass during the week, but today's special. It's the Feast of the Assumption. It's a very 'Catholic' celebration, as most Marian observances are.

Mother's Day is an exception - and that's another topic. (May 10, 2009)

Mary, Elvis, and Getting a Grip

I think Mary's very special, but I don't worship her. I worship God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Worshiping anyone or anything else is a very bad idea.

Maybe some of the billion or so Catholics alive today worship Mary, or Elvis, or physical fitness: but the Church says that's idolatry, and that it's strictly against the rules. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2097, 2112-2114) Which doesn't mean that we have to hate music or ignore our health: and those are still more topics.

Who Says Mary's Special?

I figure it's okay to see Mary as an outstanding person, since God seems to have that opinion:

"¹⁰ In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,

"to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary.

"And coming to her, he said, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." "
(Luke 1:26-28)

Another Empty Grave

Mary shows up in the account of my Lord's first miracle. (John 2:5) Later, she's one of the very few folks who stayed with Jesus on Golgotha. (John 19:25) My Lord seems to have had a close relationship with His mother - another reason why I see no problem with thinking she's special.

The Feast of the Assumption is when we celebrate Mary's being taken to Heaven - soul and body. When the folks caring for her came back for her body, tradition tells us that all they found was a mass of roses.

Nice touch, I think. Mary seems to like roses. There's that incident with Juan Diego's tilma, and that's yet again another topic.

Body, Soul, and Coming Events

We call Mary's death her "dormition," or "sleep." When she died, my Lord promoted her to "Queen over all things," as it says in the Catechism:

" 'Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.'⁵⁰⁸ The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians:

"In giving birth you kept your virginity; in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of God, but were joined to the source of Life. You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death.⁵⁰⁹"

(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 966)

Mary's fully human, like me, except that God excluded or protected her from the original sin that's made life so interesting for the rest of us. And that's even more topics. (Catechism, 396-409, 490-493)

Being human, Mary was created as a composite creature: a rational being with an immortal soul - and a physical body. (Catechism, 362-368)

When I die, my body will start breaking down. It's not something I look forward to, but it comes with the package. On a strictly human level, I can see why Jesus didn't want His mother's body to go through that. My opinion.

Meanwhile, I'm not a soul locked inside a body: I'm a creature that's designed to be a unified soul and body. My body will die, leaving my soul waiting for that big closing ceremony we call the Last Judgment. (Catechism, 1038)

Following My Lord

I don't see a problem with admiring Mary and worshiping my Lord. Whenever I encounter Mary in Catholic traditions, she's doing pretty much the same thing she did at Cana: telling us to "do whatever he tells you." (John 2:5)

As for the tradition about roses being where her body should have been? I'm inclined to believe it. Not so much because it 'feels right,' but because of where I heard it.

It's easier for me to believe that Mary was assumed body and soul into Heaven, than it is to believe that an outfit could endure for two millennia: without help. And that's - another topic or two. (January 13, 2011)

Related posts:

• Mary
  • "Fourth Sunday of Advent, 2011: John, Jesus, and God's New World Order"
    (December 18, 2011)
  • "Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Mary, and Who's In Charge?"
    (December 6, 2010)
  • "Mary, Mother of Jesus: Reading Glasses for Catholics"
    (August 15, 2010)
  • "Feast of the Assumption: It's Not About Making Assumptions"
    (August 14, 2010)
  • " 'Do Whatever He Tells You' "
    (March 20, 2011)
• Original sin
  • "Battling Sin, Living in Hope"
    (July 25, 2012)
  • "Original Sin and the Unfairness of Gravity"
    (July 11, 2012)
  • "The Power to Hurt: Or Help"
    (June 27, 2012)
  • "Original Sin, Consequences, and Bootstraps"
    (June 13, 2012)
  • "Original Sin, Free Will, ADD, and There Goes the Air Conditioner"
    (October 15, 2010)
• The Catholic Church
  • "Digital Liturgy?"
    (August 12, 2012)
  • "Catholics aren't Calvinists"
    (May 7, 2012)
  • "The Man Who Wouldn't Stay Dead"
    (March 11, 2012)
  • "Ancient Style and Today's Discussions at the 'Vatican Science Academy' "
    (October 2, 2011)
  • "We Won: Quite a While Ago"
    (January 13, 2011)
    Particularly
    • Wildly Improbable Survival
• Looking ahead
  • "An Eternal Life I can Live With"
    (August 27, 2011)
  • "Hell, Heaven, Character, and Culture"
    (June 23, 2011)
  • "Apocalypse Whenever"
    (June 14, 2011)
  • "Last Judgment: Attendance Mandatory"
    (May 21, 2011)
  • "Oh, Rapture! Here Come the End Times - Again"
    (May 20, 2011)

Fourth Sunday of Advent, 2011: John, Jesus, and God's New World Order

Readings for December 18, 2011, Fourth Sunday of Advent 2011:

• 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
• Romans 16:25-27
• Luke 1:26-38

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Fourth Sunday in Advent 2011

By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas
December 18, 2011

A Little girl sat on her grandfather's lap. Looking up into his face, she touched his wrinkled old cheek. Then she touched her own smooth cheek and asked grandpa, "did God make you"? Yes he answered, "God made me a long time ago," then she asked, "did God make me too," grandpa replied, "yes of course honey but God made you just a little while ago." Checking her own smooth face again the little girl said, "God's getting better at it, isn't He?"

In today's gospel Mary learns that she will give birth to the son of God. Mary will soon be privileged to look upon her newborn child and to let her lips be the first to kiss the perfect cheeks of the face of God.

Why Mary? Why a woman who was a virgin promised to a man? Why Elizabeth? Why a barren and elderly woman who had given up hope of ever being a mother? There is nothing in the sacred texts to recommend either of these women for such significant roles in salvation history. Yet Mary became the mother of Jesus Son of the Most High, and Elizabeth brought John into the world, the one of whom it would be said, "among those born of woman no one is greater".

Surely the good news would have found a firmer footing if Jesus and John were born of well-established and reputable families with the means to help their sons impact the world with their respective messages. However, in choosing these two insignificant women, God was announcing a new world order, one in which traditional values and expectations were turned on their ear. This process of turning things upside down and inside out even has its own theme song which Luke will place on Mary's lips in the verses that follow today's gospel.

In her song, Mary will celebrate in inscrutable ways and the will of God with words that confound us. The hungry are filled with good things, the rich are sent empty away; the mighty are thrown down from their thrones, the lowly are lifted up. This song, as surprising as it is, represents a distillation of the entire gospel with all its contradictions and correctives. Through this world's poor ones, through those least likely to be associated with power and prestige, God will work wonders. These poor ones, and their humble reliance on God, will become venues of grace and greatness,--- beginning with Mary and Elizabeth. But before Mary would sing her song and before Elizabeth would call her "blessed among women" each of these two mothers had a choice to make.

Those choices to accept God's plan for themselves and their families are at the heart of today's gospel.

Gabriel's greeting to Mary is a composite of texts from the Hebrew Scriptures all of which a attest to the special role Mary was being called to fulfill and to the fact that the era of the messiah would dawn in her fulfilling the will of God. These text also affirm that what transpires from Mary has been ordained by God and foretold by the prophets. Nevertheless, neither Mary's nor Elizabeth's responses to God were coerced. Although she clearly did not understand, Mary believed and trusted in God and accepted the plan announced by the Angel-messenger. Luke admits that she was savvy enough to be greatly troubled by what was being said to her. In speaking of Mary, Luke would also admit that, "she did not understand" but that she "pondered all these things in her heart."

Mary's pondering was a spiritual coping mechanism. Mary did not remain in her greatly troubled state. She did not cling to her anxieties but surrendered it to God. She was content to ponder and to pray, and as she gathered strength from these spiritual efforts, she cultivated a vital and sustained faith. By virtue of her faith, the Almighty and Transcendent took up residence in her, and from that holy human address, God has been uniquely revealed in Jesus. This same God wishes to make a home in each of us.

---

'Thank you' to Deacon Kaas, for letting me post his reflection here.

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More reflections:

• "Reflections from Sauk Centre's Our Lady of Angels Church"

Somewhat-related posts:

• "Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary: It's a Big Deal"
  (December 9, 2011)
• "Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Mary, and Who's In Charge?"
  (December 6, 2010)
• "First Sunday of Advent, 2011: Joy, Peace, Love, and a Dog Named Rollo"
  (November 27, 2011)
• "Hope, Joy, and Working for a Better World"
  (September 13, 2011)
• "Christianity: A Religion of Hope"
  (May 5, 2011)

Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Mary, and Who's In Charge?

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is coming on Wednesday. God willing and health permitting, I'll be at Our Lady of the Angels church that day, celebrating Mass with the rest of the parish.

It's a day when, as a practicing Catholic, I'm required to go to church. (Catechism, 2177) Not that there's much arm-twisting involved, at least not in my case. I was impressed with Mary, long before I became a Catholic.

The Immaculate Conception; Saint Clare of Assisi and Television; and My Speculations about Need-to-Know

The feast day is called "Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary," by the way. (Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Homily, St. John Paul II (December 8, 2004))

It's the conception of Mary we're celebrating, by the way. There's a prayer that goes with the day. This year, anyway:

"The image of the Virgin is found in your Church.
"Mary had a faith that your Spirit prepared and a love that never knew sin, for you kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception.
"Trace in our actions the lines of her love, in our hearts her readiness of faith.
"Prepare once again a world for your Son who lives and reigns with your and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
"--- from 'Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers' ")

There's more about this aspect of Mary's life in the Catechism:

"To become the mother of the Savior, Mary 'was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role.'¹³² The angel Gabriel at the moment of the annunciation salutes her as 'full of grace.'¹³³ In fact, in order for Mary to be able to give the free assent of her faith to the announcement of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly borne by God's grace. Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, 'full of grace' through God,¹³⁴ was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854:

"The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.¹³⁵"

(Catechism, 490, 491)

So, why wait until until 1854 for news that Our Lady is also Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception? Remember, I speak with the authority of some guy with a blog, and this is just my speculation. I've gotten the impression that we're given information from God's Throne on a 'need to know' basis.

Sure, God could have dumped everything on Peter, Paul, John, and the rest. Including:

• What to do when the Roman Empire crumbled
• How to handle the Black Death
• That Saint Clare of Assisi would be a patron saint of television
• Whatever's going to be important
  • Tomorrow
  • The day after that
  • All days until my Lord returns

He didn't. Just as well, in my opinion - for whatever that's worth.

When Jesus was here, Clare of Assisi, for example, wouldn't be born for more than a thousand years, and television wouldn't be developed for about 19 centuries. God, for whatever reason, didn't give His Church a complete itinerary of what to expect.

Actually, on one key point, Jesus pointed out that His Father knew, But He, Jesus, didn't - and that's the way it is. (Catechism, 1040; Matthew 24:4-27; Matthew 24:36) (and see Matthew 24 footnote 9 in the NAB) (I discussed 'end times' in "God Knows, I Don't: And That's Okay" (November 14, 2010))

Who Says Mary is Special?

Catholics make a fairly big deal over Mary. I have no problem with that, for a variety of reasons. Mostly, though, I'm okay with the Catholic Church's position on Mary because God decided to make a fairly big deal over her:

"¹⁰ In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, 'Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.' "
(Luke 1:26-28)

You probably know the rest of that dialog, as recorded in Luke.

The point, for this post, is that Gabriel is an angel. And that's going to take a little explanation, since today's culture has some - interesting - ideas about angels.

"St. Augustine says: ' "Angel" is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is "spirit"; if you seek the name of their office, it is "angel": from what they are, "spirit," from what they do, "angel." '¹⁸⁸ With their whole beings the angels are servants and messengers of God. Because they 'always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven' they are the 'mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word.'¹⁸⁹

"As purely spiritual creatures angels have intelligence and will: they are personal and immortal creatures, surpassing in perfection all visible creatures, as the splendor of their glory bears witness.¹⁹⁰"
(Catechism, 329,330)

Gabriel, again, is an angel. He's one of the people who aren't human, who have been with God since He created them: not the lot who joined Satan's rebellion. And that's another topic. (Catechism 391-395, for starters) And Gabriel said "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you."

If angels are "purely spiritual creatures," how can they "say" anything? Or be seen (Luke 1:12, for example.) That's yet another topic¹

Where was I? Gabriel and Mary. Right.

Another part of Gabriel's mission that time was to bring Zachariah up to speed on Zachariah's assignment - and that of Zachariah's son. Let's see how this agent of God talks to Zachariah.

"Then Zechariah said to the angel, 'How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.' And the angel said to him in reply, 'I am Gabriel, ⁸ who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. But now you will be speechless and unable to talk ⁹ until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.' "
(Luke 1:18-20)

Well, Zachariah asked for a sign: and he got it. We've heard from Gabriel before, by the way. (Daniel 9:21) He's one of the few angels named in the Bible. Yet again another topic.

Zachariah gets his lip zipped. Mary got called "favored one." In both cases, by someone who stands before God, and was on duty at the time. Offhand, I think it's reasonable to think that God thinks Mary is a fairly big deal.

Is it sensible to see Mary as a fairly big deal, just because the "God of gods," "Lord of lords," who "skillfully made the heavens," "struck down the firstborn of Egypt," "struck down great kings," and "gives food to all flesh" thinks she's special? (Psalm 136)

As far as I'm concerned, yes. It's nice to have other reasons, but - bottom line? God is large and in charge.

Not-completely-unrelated posts:

• "Christmas? Yeah, it's a Pretty Big Deal"
  (December 24, 2009)
• "Three Things That Go By the Name of Christmas"
  (December 24, 2009)
• "Giving Gifts at Christmas is Good: But Get a Grip!"
  (December 22, 2009)
• "The True Meaning of Christmas"
  (December 24, 2008)

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¹ How can angels, who are "purely spiritual creatures" be seen? (Luke 1:12, for example.) I don't know. I've got a pretty good notion of why they can be seen - and again, this is just my personal speculation. As human beings, we use our eyes a lot. As well as our other senses. I suspect that angels can be seen, heard, and otherwise sensed - because that's how they interface with us. We're composite beings, spirit and body. (Catechism, 2516) When communicating with us, I suspect that angels find it easier if we have something apparently physical to relate to.

But, like I said, that's just my speculation.