The Virgin Mary

Year A + Advent III

The Third Sunday of Advent used to be marked by using rose-colored vestments and altar paraments. This was done because the first word of the Introit to the Latin Mass was “gaudete,” meaning “rejoice,” a word which seemed to call for a lessening of the austerity of a penitential season. A similar tradition applied to the fourth Sunday in Lent (“laetare” also means “rejoice”). Also on this third Sunday, we usually consider the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary and her humble response. While rose-colored vestments are fine, we need to be careful not to don rose-colored glasses as we consider the role of this young woman in salvation history!

Does it really matter that this young woman was a virgin? The prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 uses the Hebrew word “almah,” which means a young woman, a damsel, a maiden. A reading of this chapter in Isaiah shows that this prophecy was first meant for Ahaz, the 13th king of Judah, who was terrified of the enemies at his borders. The birth of Ahaz’s son, Hezekiah, from the womb of his favorite young wife, (Abijah) was meant to reassure the king that his dynasty would be safe. That it also prefigured the way in which the Prince of Peace would be born was not known at that time.

In one sense, Mary’s virginity is nothing more than a sign that she was naïve and unsophisticated, which makes her understanding and acceptance of her mission that much more remarkable. We must take care, though, not to be tempted down a more dangerous path, one that verges into bad theology. Mary did not have to be a virgin in order to be the mother of God’s Son. Flesh is not evil, and human sexuality is not automatically dirty or sinful. To reject any aspect of Mary’s human-ness is to begin to deny that God really became one of us – an untrue belief that has reared its head countless times in the history of Christianity. There is no bodily purity, not even virginity, that is required in order to make a human home for the Second Person of the Trinity. In fact, nothing – not even virginity – could even begin to be worthy to provide such a home.

Jesus Christ was true God and true Man. [Council of Constantinople - 381 AD, also Liturgy of St John Chrysostom] In order to be truly human, he had to be born in the same way as all humans since our first parents. Attributing special graces or virtues to Mary, or making her something other than a real woman, only takes away from the true miracle: God became human in order to make us divine. [see Athanasius of Alexandria, de Incarnatione, 54]

Our readings today are not those of the Isaiahan prophecy or Gabriel’s Annunciation. The only reference to Mary in Year A is the option of using the Magnificat in place of the Psalm appointed for the day. This is a little out of place, since it was not Mary’s response to the angel. Rather, it was an acknowledgement to her cousin Elizabeth, several months later, that something very special was happening inside her. The only thing that Mary said in response to the angelic greeting was, “behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” [Luke 1:38 KJV]

As much as our world needs prophets and heralds today, it also needs humble servants. We are called to emulate Mary’s serene acceptance of God’s will.

You and I are like Mary – ordinary people with no special differences that set us apart. We are weak and frail; we have our doubts – especially about our own worthiness. We are surrounded by people who are eager to condemn and reject us. We live in a world that is hostile to the things that we know about God.

And yet, like Mary, you and I are vessels of God’s holiness. A spark of God’s goodness and love exists in each of us – we call it our “soul.” We are simple creatures, made out of the dust of the earth, but for reasons beyond our understanding, God has chosen to dwell in each of us, to call us to some special purpose, to use us to speak to the world.

We do not trumpet our role, we do not rejoice in telling people how God has chosen us and set us apart. We are one with all of humanity, and we bring a message of peace and hope that is as much for ourselves as it is for the world in which we live. May God give us the grace to accept this calling and live it as best we can.