We are too often like ancient Israel, whose response to God’s plan was hesitant and partial
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Quick. Total. Steadfast.
We celebrate the feast of the Annunciation on March 25. These three words — quick, total, steadfast — are a good description of Mary’s response to God’s proposal and a rubric for our growth in the Christian life.
Quick
When Gabriel speaks to Mary, the weight of all history comes to a point, and the eternal fate of all humanity hangs in the balance. There is, to be sure, a brief pause to clear up a point rooted in modesty and honest puzzlement. But if you read the account of St. Luke out loud, it takes about 35 seconds for Mary to be all in. When God makes a proposal to us, how long does our reply take?
Total
The Annunciation asks Mary to give her body and soul to God. It also asks for her hopes and plans — basically for her whole life to be given over. Mary, at this moment, is a perfect example of the “Shema,” the first and greatest commandment: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and soul, and mind, and strength. Measured by that standard, how do we do in responding to God’s proposal?
Steadfast
Mary never wavered, even when she wondered. She never took back her “all in.” From the Annunciation to the cross to the Dormition (Assumption), she kept going deeper. How about us?
When we look at the history of ancient Israel, we can gauge their faith by this same rubric. Their response to God is not quick; it’s long, slow, and hesitant. Their response to God is not total; they’re half in, half out. Their response to God is not steadfast; they’re three steps forward and two steps back. The prophet Hosea describes them perfectly in one of our readings for this week: “Your piety is like the morning cloud, like the dew that early passes away.” That’s not a quick, total, steadfast faith!
But let’s keep in mind the old adage: Whenever you point a finger at someone, there are three fingers pointing right back at you! When we look at the faith of ancient Israel, we’re actually holding up a mirror to our own experience of faith. We’re slow, too. Even when we’re quick, we’re not all in. Even when we have our “all in” moments, we’re not steadfast.
Where Israel needed repentance, Mary was perfect. Where Mary was perfect, she shows us the path of spiritual growth. If the long-range goal is for us to be like Mary in our response to God, the immediate goal is simply to get quicker, deeper and steadier. How can we do that?
If we study people’s encounters with Jesus in the Gospels — seeing ourselves in them, and them in us — we can learn how to grow. When we see how their slowness is like ours, it holds up a mirror for us. When we see how our “all in” could be more like theirs, it holds out a possibility for us.
“If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” This was the call to ancient Israel precisely because they had, so often, responded to God’s call with refusal and reluctance. Against that background, Mary shows us how to respond.
Quick. Total. Steadfast.
There’s our plan for growth!
