The first Sundays of Advent have John the Baptist as their focus, while this last Advent Sunday before Christmas places Mary, the Mother of Jesus, front and center before us. With just a few days before Christmas, the youngest among us probably can’t think of anything else but a certain jolly fellow who will soon bring them lots of gifts. We older folk, however, can spend just a few minutes catching our breath from the hustle and bustle of these last frantic days before Christmas to contemplate what scripture tells us about Mary, that remarkable young woman of faith who is best described by Francis de Sales as the first disciple of Christ and, thus, as the model for all of us to imitate.
Mary was first and foremost a woman of prayer. Today’s Gospel says nothing about what Mary is doing when the Angel Gabriel comes to her. But saints, artists and mystics have almost universally pictured her at prayer. As described by de Sales, prayer is simply a heart-to-heart conversation with God. The words don’t matter. Nor is there any one method of prayer that one has to use. Many just spend some quiet time, however brief, in the presence of God, open to his word. That was Mary. Whatever God asked of her, her response was always the same: “Fiat!” --“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your Word!”
Mary was also a woman whose prayer with God bore fruit in the concrete service of others. What does she do as soon as the Angel leaves her? She hurries to her cousin Elizabeth to assist her during what must have been a difficult pregnancy for an older woman. Yes, they exchange beautiful words at their meeting, and the Prophet of Justice leaps in his mother’s womb as he encounters for the first time the Prince of Peace in Mary’s womb. But after that, Mary sets herself to accomplish the many demanding household tasks that Elizabeth cannot accomplish. And when John is born, Mary stays on to help her with the difficult transition to motherhood. Mary prays, yes, but she also rolls up her sleeves to help another in need.
And the Visitation is not the only example in Scripture of Mary helping others in concrete ways. At the famous wedding in Cana, it is due to her concerns and at her prompting that Jesus performs his first miracle. By changing water into wine, he spares the young couple the embarrassment of running out of wine at their wedding celebration. Nothing is too big and nothing is too small to elicit a helping hand from Mary.
Finally, Mary is a mother who stays close to her Son no matter what. We find Mary following Jesus throughout his ministry, sticking by Jesus through thick and thin. She is with him during the heady days and huge successes in Galilee, but also during the increasing hostilities as they approach Jerusalem. And where is the Mother when her only Son is cruelly crucified? With him all the way: at the foot of his cross during the three hours of excruciating agony and heavy in her arms at the sad silence of death. Tradition says that Mary was the first to see the risen Jesus that very first Easter.
Mary at prayer; Mary helping those in need; Mary with Jesus in the good days as well as in the bad days of life. Artists and mystics often romanticize all of this, but for that woman of great faith hers was a real life and at times a very tough life. Still, from the moment of the conception of Jesus within her womb until his glorious ascension into heaven 33 years later, she never left the one she loved, and he never left her. That is Christian discipleship!
In just a few days, we will celebrate the birth of Mary’s Son in the poverty and simplicity of a manger. See, with Mary, that the only important thing in life is to be with the God who has chosen to come among his people in the beautiful simplicity of a new-born babe and to live among them as one who serves.
Mary was the first and best disciple of Jesus. Let us learn from her!
Gratefully,
V. Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province
