This year, the Annunciation and the day dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows follow each other. More than anything, I feel that these two days in succession serve to bring forth more strikingly the totality of discipleship, with all its beauty and also difficulties along the way.
Luke 1, 26-38 describes the Annunciation. Mary is greeted by the angel Gabriel with the news that she is to bear the Messiah. (The mother of Jesus is mentioned by name in the Gospels according to Luke and Matthew, but she is only mentioned a few times in the Gospels according to Mark and John taken together, and there she is not named.) Mary does not comprehend. She naturally comes with questions. She asks the angel "How can this be?" I see in her question, the eyes of the believer who, at times, does question. Discipleship does not come without questions - it attests to an important aspect in human nature to dwell on experiences and pose questions. Mary's question is brought in contrast with that of Zechariah. Zechariah's questions in Luke 1, 18 do not simply harbour doubt but also alienate him from the Good News.
Mary's yes - her fiat - is a yes to freedom. Her response does not render her passive but, rather, free to embrace the will of God working in her. This response, borne out of her free will to collaborate with God, does not preclude her from encountering difficulties and questions. When she and Joseph arrive at Bethlehem in order to register for the Roman census, there is no place for them at the inn. She gives birth and uses a manger as a cradle. Eventually she and Joseph need to flee to Egypt in order to ensure the safety of their son. She does not understand why her son was in the Temple when he was presumed lost. Jesus's response bewilders her.
Mary is described on various occasions as a woman who reflects on her particular experiences. Such examples, narrated in Lk 2, include the visit by the shepherds after the birth of Jesus (who also receive a message from the angels, are afraid and believe), immediately followed by the presentation of Jesus at the Temple, followed by predictions made by Simeon. These experiences are moments which enable Mary to grow gradually in her. What really strikes me in these two examples are that the remarks by different people (ranging from people who are considered lowly such as shepherds to high-ranking people at the Temple) enable Mary to grow gradually and deeper in her awareness of God.
The response of the mother of Jesus is also a freedom which encompasses sacrifice. It is a sacrifice of self-giving, where she almost fades into the background when the mission of Jesus takes precedence. Yet, this sacrifice is borne out of love - of the totality of self-giving. At the climax of the passion of the Christ, the mother of Jesus stands at the cross suffering, yet in dignity. I feel that this particular moment is especially poignant. For me it has also tremendous significance, as I have experienced particular experiences on the day dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows. Most notably was the demise of my dear father, with whom I had a very close relationship. This enabled me more to reflect on the sorrow experienced by Our Lady. I also reflect on the devotion and affinity many people have towards the Lady of Sorrows. This might stem from the fact that there is a certain solidarity in suffering. It is as if the reality of the suffering of Christ and his mother can, in a limited way, be related to as we go about in our daily experiences.
The fiat of Our Lady in response to the Annunciation, heralding the conception of Christ, reaches full circle at the foot of the Golgotha in response to the statement of Christ on the cross, namely that the Beloved Disciple is her son and she is his mother. In agonising pain at the suffering of her son, Mary agrees to become of the mother of the Beloved Disciple and, by default, of the Church. It is an expression of self-giving at the highest level. This is why Mary's response to the God's invitation has opened her to a tremendous and authentic love. At the same time, this episode is also a reminder that the journey of discipleship cannot happen only individually.
The response of Mary has important ramifications in our journey of faith, for we are reminded that our response - "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word" - imperfect though it may seem, takes us through unexpected encounters in our lives. Our fiat which beckons on a daily basis and also in the simplest and most mundane aspects in our lives, does not come without difficulties. Being authentic disciples does not detract us from the complexity of the human being - the joys, the beauty, the hardships, our limitations, and suffering - but it serves to embrace that complexity and be open to its transfiguration. Most importantly, a genuine "yes" opens us to the endless freedom and possibilities where we can engage in a self-giving love. For it is in authentic self-giving that the totality of life can be embraced, experienced and transfigured.
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