Yesterday's Annunciation to Mary and the earlier story of the Annunciation to Zechariah have some parallels, but also contrasts. Sometimes people get tripped up on how harshly Zechariah seems to have been treated for raising a question, while Mary raised a question, too, and received assurances. But their questions were very, very different. Mary asked, "How can this come about?" while Zechariah asked, "How I am I to know this?" In other words, Zechariah seems to have made his own judgment the central issue. I think that is a very common temptation for our day. Isn't that the whole meaning of relativism? I reserve to myself all judgment about the truth or validity or worth of a matter--at least insofar as it affects me. There is almost an unwillingness to let anything "be done" in "my" world unless I am totally in charge.
So Mary is not just an example of a "handmaid of the Lord," but of a woman who is open to the "other" in life, even if it did not originate with her, even if it comes unbidden.
2 comments:
Hello Sister!
I found your blog through the Pauline site and saw that you are interested in Catholic music and its effects!
I've recently become involved in the Catholic music scene myself and thought you'd might like to know of http://www.catholicsound.com, an awesome site run by Marco Velasquez. Since this summer, the site has been networking Catholic musicians, record labels, vendors, etc. and doing some great work for the cause of Christ!
I'd love to keep in contact with you because I've been feeling a pull to the religious life, particularly towards the Daughters of St. Paul!
Thanks and God bless!
That's a good point about the questions. When the Zechariah Gospel was read recently at Mass, I got an insight into this. Imagine: if an angel came and told you all this good stuff, and you replied "how can I know this," well--DUH! An angel from God just told you! That's how you know. What else do you need? His question clearly showed a lack of faith.
But Mary's question seems to be more about the means. She's puzzled about HOW it will happen, not about "will it happen?" She shows an openness that Zechariah didn't have.
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